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The University of Copenhagen
In 1903 Bohr attended the University of Copenhagen, he and his brother both played on the university's soccer team. His brother, Harald, would go on to win the silver medal for the Danish Olympic team. Neils enjoyed philosophy, poetry, and physics (Spangenburg and Moser 10). Spangenburg, Ray, and Diane Moser. Niels Bohr: Atomic Theorist. Chelsea House, 2008. -
Determination of the Surface-Tension of Water by the Method of Jet Vibration
Bohr's undergraduate response to Lord Raleigh's research was awarded in 1905 and published by the British Royal Society in 1909. In his conclusions, he wrote: "Lord Rayleigh’s theory of infinitely small vibrations of a jet of non-viscid liquid can be supplemented by corrections for the influence of the finite amplitudes as well as for the viscosity (317)." -
On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules
In 1913 Bohr wrote a three part series of essays known today as "the Trilogy". These essays improved upon Rutherford's model of the atom, and attempted to model atomic structure based on pre-existing models of wavelengths and electromagnetic fields. His essays introduced concepts such as the ground state of an electron, principle quantum numbers, and electron orbitals. -
Electron Configuration
Bohr's electron configuration helped explain trends and predictions within the structure of the periodic table. It also attempted to incorporate spectroscopy and explain the unique spectral fingerprints associated with individual atoms, and did so, roughly. Though Bohr knew it was a rough model it still proves to be an excellent educational tool. -
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Open Letter to the United Nations
After working on the Manhattan Project Bohr composed an open letter to the United Nations saying, "I turn to the United Nations with these considerations in the hope that they may contribute to the search for a realistic approach to the grave and urgent problems confronting humanity." -
Atoms For Peace
Niels pleaded with the United Nations for openness and was largely dismissed until 1957 when he was awarded the first ever Atoms for Peace award, receiving a gold medal and a check for $75,000 (Spangenburg and Moser 102). Spangenburg, Ray, and Diane Moser. Niels Bohr: Atomic Theorist. Chelsea House, 2008. -
Atoms and Human Knowledge
In his lecture, Bohr acknowledged the humanistic value of contextual models stating: "I want to emphasize that what we have learned in physics arose from a situation where we could not neglect the interaction between the measuring instrument and the object. In psychology, we meet a quite similar situation involving the decision as to where to draw the separation line between subject and object (6)."
