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Born
Niels Henrik David Bohr was born in Denmark’s capital city of Copenhagen (Famous Scientists, 2015). His father, Christian Bohr was a physiology professor, and his mother Ellen Adler was the daughter of a wealthy politician (Famous Scientists, 2015) -
PhD Completion
Bohr attended the University of Copenhagen. His father was a professor at the University (Waldek, 2018) He obtained both a M.S. and PhD degree, both were in physics (Famous Scientists, 2015). His particular focus for both degrees was on the electron theory of metals (Famous Scientists, 2015). -
Postdoctoral Work (Ernest Rutherford)
Bohr started his postdoctoral work with J. J. Thomson but in March 1912 he switched and began working with physicist Ernest Rutherford (Famous Scientists, 2015). Rutherford had won a Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1908 (Famous Scientists, 2015). He also discovered the atomic nucleus in 1909 (Famous Scientists, 2015). After seeing Rutherford’s model of the atom, Bohr focused his PhD thesis on the behavior of the atom’s electrons (Famous Scientists, 2015). -
Bohr's Atomic Model
Atomic model used quantum physics instead of classical physics. Postulates of the atomic model: electrons orbit nucleus at fixed energy levels, orbits further from the nucleus exist at higher energy levels, when electrons return to a lower energy level, they emit energy in the form of light (Bohr-Facts,2021). At youtube.com you can find a video titled Bohr Model of Hydrogen Atom the address is - https://www.youtube.com/watchv=au2HCVn9IJI&ab_channel=ProfessorDaveExplains (Dave, 2021) -
Niels Bohr Institute
Still operating today. Is one of the world's major centers for physic research (communication, 2021). The Institute is celebrating 100 years operation this year -
Nobel Prize
In 1922 Bohr received the Nobel Prize in Physics, "for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them" (Nobel, 2021). Nobel prizes ran in the Bohr family, his father had been nominated 3 times but didn't win for his physiology work. Bohr's son Aage won the Noble Prize for physics for his research in the structure of atomic nuclei (Famous Scientists, 2015) -
Fled Nazi Occupation
Bohr's mother was Jewish. When the Nazi regime started to deport Denmark's Jews to concentration camps, Bohr received a tip off they were going to arrest him, so he and his family fled in fishing boats to neutral Sweden (Famous scientists,2015). -
Research for British Government
Bohr and son Aage flew to Britain in the bomb bays of British warplanes (Famous Scientists, 2015). They began doing scientific research for the British Government (Famous Scientists, 2015). They were working on the atomic bomb project headed by James Chadwick (Famous Scientists, 2015). The research team was known as code word Tube Alloys. -
Manhattan Project
Bohr and his son Aage traveled to the US to work on the Manhattan Project (Famous Scientists, 2015). They wanted to keep their presence in America a secret and used the fake names of "Nicolas Baker" and "James Baker" (Famous Scientists, 2015). The atomic bomb that would end WWII was being created. -
Bohr's Death
Bohr died of sudden heart failure at his home in Copenhagen (Famous Scientists, 2015). He was buried in Copenhagen's Assistance Cemetery (Famous Scientists, 2015). The effects of Bohr’s scientific works have had lasting effects on the world. From helping to end WW2 with the Manhattan project to
defining the atomic model. His atomic model is still used today. The Niels Bohr Institution is still in operation. Bohr was 77 years old when he died.
