- **Classical Bit**: The basic unit of information in classical computing, representing either a 0 or a 1. - **Classical Physics**: This is a set of theories and laws that describe the behavior of physical systems at macroscopic scales. It includes concepts such as Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics. These theories are generally deterministic and do not involve quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement. In the context of the human brain, classical physics would describe processes such as the movement of ions across neuron membranes, the propagation of electrical signals along axons, and the interactions between neurotransmitters and receptors. - **Coherence**: The property of a quantum system that allows it to maintain a superposition of states. - **Decoherence**: The process by which a quantum system loses its coherence and reverts to a classical state due to interactions with the environment. - **Entanglement**: A quantum phenomenon where two or more particles become linked in such a way that they share the same fate, no matter how far apart they are. - **Microtubules**: Cylindrical structures found within cells, including neurons, that are thought to play a role in maintaining cell structure and potentially in quantum information processing in the brain. - **Observer Effect**: In quantum mechanics, the observer effect refers to the phenomenon where the act of measuring a quantum system can influence its state. The interpretation of this effect is heavily dependent on the chosen interpretation of quantum mechanics. The Copenhagen interpretation, for instance, links it to the collapse of the wave function upon observation, while other interpretations offer different explanations. - **Quantum Bit (Qubit)**: The basic unit of information in quantum computing, which can exist in a superposition of 0 and 1. - **Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)**: A secure communication method that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to allow two parties to share a secret key. - **Quantum Mechanics**: The branch of physics that deals with the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels. - **Quantum Network**: A network that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to transmit and process information. - **Quantum Repeater**: A device used to extend the range of entanglement distribution in a quantum network. - **Quantum State**: A description of the properties of a quantum system. - **Quantum Teleportation**: A process that allows the transfer of a quantum state from one location to another using entanglement and classical communication. - **Superposition**: The ability of a quantum system to exist in multiple states simultaneously until measured. - **Wave Function**: A mathematical description of the quantum state of a particle or system, containing all the possible states a system can be in along with their probabilities. The “wave function collapse” is a term from the Copenhagen interpretation that describes the change from a system being in a superposition to existing in a single measurable state.