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The Bohr Model of the Atom
Bohr, with the help of Ernst Rutherford, proposed a new model of the atom in which a dense nucleus is surrounded by electrons in specific orbits. This model was useful in explaining the spectral emission lines of hydrogen, as given by the Rydberg Formula. This model contributed to the earliest workings in the field of quantum mechanics. -
Opening of the Niels Bohr Institute
Bohr lobbied for the establishment of a new Institute of Theoretical Physics. After gaining legislation in 1918, the Niels Bohr Institute was officially opened in 1921. It is now a key facility at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. -
Nobel Prize in Physics
In 1922, Niels Bohr won the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them" -
The Principle of Complementarity
In response to a thought-experiment put forth by Werner Heisenberg, Bohr suggested that an object under observation will have certain pairs of complementary properties that cannot be measured simultaneously, such as position and momentum, or quanta that exhibit properties of both particles and waves. This principle of complementarity helped shape the way scientists across all fields approach observation of data. -
Atoms for Peace Award
Bohr was an advocate for international cooperation on matters regarding nuclear energy, and addressed a letter to the UN urging them to follow suit. In 1957, in response to growing tensions with the Soviet Union, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued his "Atoms for Peace" speech, initiating the formation of the International Atomic Energy Agency. For his contributions to the development of peaceful nuclear technology, Bohr was awarded the first-ever Atoms for Peace award. -
References
Aaserud, Finn. "Niels Bohr". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Nov. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Niels-Bohr. Niels Bohr – Biographical. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2023.https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1922/bohr/biographical/ “Bohr’s Atomic Model.” YouTube, YouTube, 30 July 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1LDJUu4nko.
