Description:
(Danish Physicist Who Made Foundational Contributions to Understanding Atomic Structure and Quantum Theory)
Niels Bohr was a Noble Prize winning Danish physicist who did pioneering work in quantum theory and in contributing to the understanding of atomic structure. Born to a highly influential and well educated famil, he is regarded as one of the most dominant physicists of the 20th century. After earning his doctoral degree in physics, he conducted an intensive research along with Ernest Rutherford on the atomic structures. He formulated the first successful explanation of some major lines of the hydrogen spectrum and his theory of the atom became the foundation of modern atomic physics. His remarkable contribution to the understanding of the atomic structure and quantum mechanics earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics. Among other things, he also proposed the complementarity principle, which states that objects may have a dual nature, similar to that of an electron which behaves both as a particle and a wave, but we can only experience one aspect at a time. During World War II, he escaped arrest by German police and eventually made it to the United States where he acted as a prominent part of the team of physicists working on the Manhattan Project. He was also a noted humanitarian and after the war, he spent the rest of his life advocating the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Birthday
October 7, 1885 (Libra)
Born In
Denmark
Alternative names
Niels Henrik David Bohr
City
Copenhagen, Denmark
Died on
November 18, 1962
Spouse/Ex-
Margrethe Nørlund
Parents
Christian Bohr
Ellen Adler Bohr
Children
Aage Bohr, Erik Bohr, Ernest Bohr, Hans Henrik Bohr
Relatives
Harald Bohr, Jennifer Bohr
What is Niels Bohr's atomic model?
Niels Bohr's atomic model, proposed in 1913, suggests that electrons move in specific orbits around the nucleus of an atom. These orbits are at fixed distances from the nucleus and electrons can only exist in these discrete energy levels.
What is the Bohr radius?
The Bohr radius is a physical constant representing the most probable distance between the nucleus and the electron in a hydrogen atom when the electron is in its ground state. It is approximately 0.529 angstroms.
What is the Bohr effect in biology?
The Bohr effect is a phenomenon in biology where hemoglobin's oxygen binding affinity is affected by the pH of the surrounding environment. A decrease in pH (increase in acidity) causes hemoglobin to release more oxygen to tissues in need.
What is Niels Bohr's contribution to quantum mechanics?
Niels Bohr made significant contributions to quantum mechanics with his model of the atom and his concept of complementarity. He also played a key role in the development of the Copenhagen interpretation, which addresses the fundamental principles of quantum theory.
What is the Bohr magneton?
The Bohr magneton is a unit of magnetic moment often used in atomic physics. It is defined as the magnitude of the magnetic moment of an electron due to its orbital motion in a hydrogen atom and is approximately equal to 9.27 x 10^-24 joules per tesla.