Overview
Quantum computing leverages principles of quantum mechanics to process information in ways that classical computers cannot, offering potential exponential speedups for specific tasks. A qubit is the fundamental unit of quantum information, analogous to a classical bit but capable of existing in a superposition of 0 and 1 states simultaneously. Decoherence is the loss of quantum coherence, wherein qubits interact with their environment, leading to errors in computation by collapsing superpositions into definite states.
