English

Playing Pool with $|\psi \rangle$: from Bouncing Billiards to Quantum Search

Quantum Physics 2020-11-04 v2 High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

In "Playing Pool with π\pi", Galperin invented an extraordinary method to learn the digits of π\pi by counting the collisions of billiard balls. Here I demonstrate an exact isomorphism between Galperin's bouncing billiards and Grover's algorithm for quantum search. This provides an illuminating way to visualize Grover's algorithm.

Cite

@article{arxiv.1912.02207,
  title  = {Playing Pool with $|\psi \rangle$: from Bouncing Billiards to Quantum Search},
  author = {Adam R. Brown},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1912.02207},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

11 pages, 8 figures, $d$ billiards; v2: minor improvements, as published

R2 v1 2026-06-23T12:36:05.929Z