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Birth
Niels Henrik David Bohr was born in Copenhagen to his father Christian Bohr who was the Professor of Physiology at Copenhagen University and his mother Ellen Adler. Niels' parents would strongly encourage him as he sought out his educational odyssey. “A Science Odyssey: People and Discoveries: Niels Bohr.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bpbohr.html#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20his%20major,in%201962%2C%20following%20a%20stroke. -
Academy of Sciences in Copenhagen gold medal award recipient
While still an undergraduate, the Academy of Sciences in Copenhagen created a challenge to see if anyone could complete a very specific problem. Niels accepted the challenge. Utilizing his father's laboratory and oscillating fluid jets, Niels was able to win the first place prize regarding the investigation of surface tension and its random interaction with multipolar surface oscillation modes. The Transactions of the Royal Society published Niels' experimentation results, in 1908. -
Higher education at Copenhagen University
Niels completed his Master's degree in Physics in 1909 and his Doctor's degree in 1911. -
Nobel Prize recipient
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for identifying the structure of atoms. Bohr theorized that electrons would jump outward to the next level from the nucleus if it gained energy and fall closer to the nucleus if energy was released. Electrons won't be in-between. “The Nobel Prize in Physics 1922.” NobelPrize.org, https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1922/summary/#:~:text=The%20Nobel%20Prize%20in%20Physics%201922%20was%20awarded%20to%20Niels,the%20radiation%20emanating%20from%20them.%22. -
Copley medal recipient
Awarded the Copley medal for his work illustrating the Bohr model of the atom. “Culmination of the Countdown: Copley Winners That Changed the World: Royal Society.” Culmination of the Countdown: Copley Winners That Changed the World | Royal Society, 1 July 2016, https://royalsociety.org/blog/2016/06/culmination-of-the-countdown-copley-winners-that-changed-the-world/. -
Liquid droplet theory was formulated.
When Hahn and Strassmann discovered the capability to split uranium, Bohr explained the liquid droplet theory that outlined the procedure for nuclear fission. Bohr also created the concept of "complementarity" meaning that objects may have a duality (such as an electron could be both a particle and a wave). However, only one version can be observed at a time. -
Atomic Energy Project
During the last few years of World War II, Bohr was forced to flee Denmark as a result of Nazis occupation. Bohr fled to England and later America. During his time in America, he was recruited to aid the Atomic Energy Project. -
Co-Founder of CERN laboratory
Bohr was a co-founder of the CERN laboratory. “CERN Accelerating Science.” CERN, https://home.cern/tags/niels-bohr. -
Death
Niels Bohr passed in his home due to complications of a stroke in his hometown of Copenhagen. -
Bohr model explained