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Start of a Legend
Born Niels Henrik David Bohr
Copenhagen, Denmark October 1885 -
1908-1911
He won an International Gold Medal for engineering. He also earned a master’s degree in physics and went on to complete his PhD in physics in 1911, both from the University of Copenhagen. His doctoral dissertation was on the electron theory of metals -
1911-1913 Bohr's Paper
In 1911, he traveled to England and met J. J. Thompson of the Cavendish Laboratory at the Cambridge University. He conducted some research on cathode rays, but failed to impress Thomson. Later, Ernest Rutherford invited him to conduct post-doctoral research in England on the atomic structures. In 1913, Bohr’s paper on atomic structure was published which became the basis of the famous ‘old quantum theory’ -
Video on the Bohr Model
https://youtu.be/GhAn8xZQ-d8
Bohr Model more accurately represents the location of electrons around the nucleus. Niels Bohr refined the Rutherford model to account for spectra. The motion of the electrons in the Rutherford model was unstable because, according to classical mechanics and electromagnetic theory, any charged particle moving on a curved path emits electromagnetic radiation; thus, the electrons would lose energy and spiral into the nucleus. -
Atomic Model Proposal
Bohr proposed an atomic model in which he postulated that electrons travel in fixed orbits around the atom's nucleus, and further explained how electrons emit or absorb energy. He introduced the idea that an electron could drop from a higher-energy orbit to a lower one, in the process emitting a quantum of discrete energy Cite:
In Essays 1958-1962 on Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge (The Philosophical Writings of Niels Bohr, Volume III), pp. 1-7. New York: Wiley. -
University of Copenhagen
In 1916, Niels Bohr was appointed professor of theoretical physics at the University of Copenhagen. Working conditions were rather poor and there was lack of both proper classrooms and laboratories. -
Institute for Theoretical Physics
The newly built institute was dedicated in 1921 with Niels Bohr as the director. It was given the name “The University of Copenhagen’s Institute for Theoretical Physics”. In everyday speech, it was simply called “The Niels Bohr Institute”, which it was indeed officially renamed in 1965.
Bohr, Niels. 1958. Natural philosophy and human cultures. In Essays 1932-1957 on Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge (The Philosophical Writings of Niels Bohr, Volume II), pp. 23-31. New York: Wiley. -
Nobel Prize
Made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics. -
Quantum Theory Debate
The Bohr–Einstein debates was of public disputes about quantum mechanics between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr. Their debates are remembered because of their importance to the philosophy of science.
Cite:
Pasachoff, Naomi E. Niels Bohr : Physicist and Humanitarian. Berkeley Heights, NJ :Enslow Publishers, 2003 -
1943-1950 Manhattan Project
On 8 December 1943, Bohr arrived in Washington, D.C., where he met with the director of the Manhattan Project, Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves, Jr. In June 1950, Bohr addressed an "Open Letter" to the United Nations calling for international cooperation on nuclear energy. In the 1950s, after the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapon test, the International Atomic Energy Agency was created along the lines of Bohr's suggestion. In 1957 he received the first ever Atoms for Peace Award. -
Sunset on a Legend
November 18, 1962 Bohr died of a stroke. His body was cremated, and his ashes were buried in the family plot in the Assistens Cemetery in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen. Niels Bohr had always dreamed of international collaboration in science.
