Niels Bohr (1885-1962)

By JServ

  • Oct 7, 1885

    Niels Bohr was born in October 7, 1885 on Copenhagen. His father was a doctor, scientist, and was nominated twice for a Nobel Prize. His mother was a daughter of a distinguished Jewish banker and born from a family of educators. Crepeau. (2006). Niels Bohr. Great Neck Publishing. “Niels Bohr.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Niels-Bohr.
  • Period: to

    Niels Bohr

  • 1903-1911

    In 1903, he entered Copenhagen University and received his doctorate in physics in 1911 with a dissertation on the electron theory of metals (Britannica). “Niels Bohr.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Niels-Bohr.

  • 1912

    He went to England to study in Cambridge and Manchester under J.J. Thompson, who had won the Nobel Prize in 1906 for his discovery of the electron. There he meet James Rutherford who had discovered the nucleus and developed a model of the atom (Crepeau). Crepeau. (2006). Niels Bohr. Great Neck Publishing. Roberts, Priscilla. "Neils Bohr." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, worldatwar2-abc-clio-com.ezproxy2.
    apus.edu/Search/Display/953085.Accessed 26 June 2022.

  • 1912

    Bohr married his wife Margrethe Norlund and had six sons. “Niels Bohr.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Niels-Bohr.

  • 1913

    He was internationally known for his work on the development of quantum theory. From his early interest of Planck's early quantum theory of radiation during his doctorate studies, to his experience of working under J.J. Thompson and James Rutherford, Niels Bohr was able to developed a picture of the atomic structure and explain what happens inside an atom (Crepeau). Crepeau. (2006). Niels Bohr. Great Neck Publishing.

  • 1920

    Bohr became the head of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Copenhagen University, in which became the world center for studying quantum mechanics. Crepeau.(2006). Niels Bohr. Great Neck Publishing. Learn about Niels Bohr’s refinement of the Rutherford model of the atom.(2020).Encyclopedia Britannica. Roberts, Priscilla. "Neils Bohr." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, worldatwar2-abc-clio-com.ezproxy2.
    apus.edu/Search/Display/953085.Accessed 26 June 2022.

  • 1922

    Bohr received a Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on creating a model of atomic structure. Learn about Niels Bohr’s refinement of the Rutherford model of the atom. (2020). Encyclopedia Britannica.

  • 1936

    Bohr developed the liquid droplet theory that gave an accurate representation of an atom's nucleus. This theory later on helped explain nuclear fission (Roberts). Crepeau. (2006). Niels Bohr. Great Neck Publishing. Learn about Niels Bohr’s refinement of the Rutherford model of the atom. (2020). Encyclopedia Britannica.

  • 1938-1939

    Bohr warned the American scientists that the German's experiment proved that the atom could split and could be used by the Nazi Germans to develop atomic weapons (Crepeau). Roberts, Priscilla. "Neils Bohr." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, worldatwar2-abc-clio-com.ezproxy2.
    apus.edu/Search/Display/953085. Accessed 26 June 2022.

  • 1940

    Hitler occupied Denmark and requested Bohr for his scientific collaboration. Bohr refused and was active in the anti-Nazi resistance. Crepeau. (2006). Niels Bohr. Great Neck Publishing. Roberts, Priscilla. "Neils Bohr." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, worldatwar2-abccliocom.ezproxy2.
    apus.edu/Search/Display/953085. Accessed 26 June 2022.

  • 1943

    British Secret Service operatives helped Bohr escaped to the United States. From Los Alamos, New Mexico, he worked under his old scientific associate J. Robert Oppenheimer, where he contributed to secret programs in developing atomic weapons (Roberts). Roberts, Priscilla. "Neils Bohr." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, worldatwar2-abc-clio-com.ezproxy2.
    apus.edu/Search/Display/953085. Accessed 26 June 2022.

  • 1945

    After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Bohr hoped that the destructive power of the bombs would force nations to abandon war, a view that influenced Oppenheimer (Roberts). Roberts, Priscilla. "Neils Bohr." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, worldatwar2-abc-clio-com.ezproxy2.
    apus.edu/Search/Display/953085. Accessed 26 June 2022.

  • Nov 18, 1962

    After the war ended, Bohr returned to Copenhagen to resume his scientific work and died on November 18, 1962.