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Erasing information and the heat it can require

Resetting an unknown bit to one standard state discards a distinction between its possible inputs. Landauer's principle connects that information task with the thermodynamics of the device performing it, while ordinary computers dissipate heat for many other reasons too.

5–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • Why is an ideal lower bound different from the heat generated by an ordinary computer?
  • How do reversible operations differ from resetting an unknown bit to a fixed state?

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