Niels Bohr

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About Niels Bohr

Niels Bohr was born on October 7, 1885, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and passed away on November 18, 1962, in Copenhagen. A pioneering physicist, Bohr made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of atomic structure and quantum theory.

Bohr married Margrethe Nørlund in 1912, and together they had six sons. He studied at the University of Copenhagen, where he earned a doctorate in Physics in 1911. During his life, he held positions at notable institutions including the University of Copenhagen, Victoria University of Manchester, and the Carlsberg Foundation.

Bohr was always curious about the world around him. This curiosity, along with an intense interest in the then emerging field of quantum physics, motivated him to become a physicist.

Bohr's Discoveries

Niels Bohr is most well-known for his model of the atom, where he proposed that electrons travel in orbits around the atom's nucleus and that the chemical properties of an element are largely determined by the number of electrons in the outer orbits. His model was the first to incorporate quantum theory and laid the groundwork for future atomic research.

The formulation of his atomic model was not without its challenges. It took many iterations and careful analysis of experimental data to reach the final model. His theories were initially met with skepticism, but were eventually accepted and appreciated for their revolutionary implications.

Bohr's Key Achievements

Niels Bohr received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922 for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them. He also contributed significantly to the Manhattan Project through his knowledge of nuclear fission, despite his reservations about the project's goals.

Bohr's Formulas

One of Bohr's significant contributions to physics is the formula for the energy levels of hydrogen-like atoms, which was based on his model of the atom. The formula is as follows:

Introduction to the Bohr's Formula for Energy Levels

E_n = -13.6 eV × (1/n²)

Where:

E_n: Energy of the electron in the nth energy level
n: Principal quantum number (n=1,2,3,...)
eV: Electronvolt, a unit of energy

Niels Bohr Tutorials and Calculators

The following tutorials and calculators are influenced by the work the great physicist Niels Bohr, each calculator contains a tutorial that explains Niels Bohr in the field