-
Period: to
Early Life
Bohr was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 7 October 1885. In 1892, When Bohr was 7, he began attending Gammelholm Latin School. -
Period: to
Education
In 1903, Bohr enrolled as an undergraduate at Copenhagen University. His major was physics, but he also studied astronomy, mathematics and philosophy. In January 1910, Niels obtained his Master’s Degree for research on the electron theory of metals. Bohr elaborated his master's thesis into his phd thesis. Bohr’s thesis was accepted in April 1911, and he defended his thesis on 13 May earning his phd. -
Period: to
Family Life
In 1910, Bohr met Margrethe Nørlund. He and Margrethe were married on August 1st. Bohr and Margrethe had six sons two of which died during early childhood. The other four became very successful and highly educated. -
Bohr's Model of the Atom
In 1913 Bohr published three papers in philosophical magazine in July, September, and November of that year. These papers are known as “the trilogy”. Bohr's model indicated, according to chemistrytalk.org, "The electrons orbit around the nucleus similar to how planets orbit around the sun. The planets are held in orbit by gravitational force and the electrons are held in their orbit by the electrostatic force between the electrons and protons". Bohr's model was a milestone for the time. -
Period: to
Career Achievements
On 3 March 1921 Bohr opened the Niels Bohr Institute of Theoretical Physics in Denmark. In 1922 Bohr was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them". For his help in creating the International Atomic Energy Agency he received the first ever Atoms for Peace Award in 1957. Bohr was re-elected President of the Royal Danish Academy of Arts and Sciences on 21 September 1945. -
Complimentarity
In 1927 Bohr conceived the philosophic principal of complementarity. According to physics.nyu.edu, complimentarity “is the realization that particle and wave behavior are mutually exclusive, yet that both are necessary for a complete description of all phenomena”. Complementarity showed that you could not properly characterize an object by just examining one aspect of it. -
Nuclear Peace
Bohr addressed the United Nations suggesting international cooperation on nuclear energy. During the 1950s, the International Atomic Energy Agency was instituted partly because of Bohr's suggestion. In 1957 he received the first ever Atoms for Peace Award. According to science.org, "I (Bohr) address myself to the organization founded for the purpose to further cooperation between
nations on all problems regarding the international relations required by the development of science and technology." -
Death
Bohr died of heart failure on 18 November 1962.
On 7 October 1965 the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen was officially renamed to the Niels Bohr Institute. -
Citations
added due to character limit per event description chemtalk. “Bohr Model of the Atom.” ChemTalk, 2 Dec. 2021, chemistrytalk.org/bohr-atomic-model/. “Quantum Mechanics: Uncertainty, Complementarity, Discontinuity and Interconnectedness.” Nyu.edu, 2022, physics.nyu.edu/sokal/transgress_v2/node1.html. Bohr, N. “Open Letter to the United Nations.” Science, vol. 112, no. 2897, 7 July 1950, pp. 1–6, science.sciencemag.org/content/112/2897/1, 10.1126/science.112.2897.1. Accessed 22 Nov. 2019.