Guys, I have to do a paper on the title- Is bitcoin a viable alternative to money as we know it....and if not, could it be one in the future.

Basically, I need to know what bitcoin is, how it works, how it is similar/different to normal money, how it affects the economy of a country and what are its future prospects.

Any help will be greatly appreciated...I dont mind if you send me a link where I can read up on the topic.

Thanks for the help.