| Danish theoretical physicist Date of Birth: 07.10.1885 Country: Denmark |
Niels Bohr was a Danish theoretical physicist and a member of the Danish Royal Society of Sciences. He was born in Copenhagen and graduated from Copenhagen University in 1908.
In 1911-1912, Bohr worked under the guidance of the English physicist J.J. Thomson at the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University. He then joined the laboratory of Ernest Rutherford at Manchester University from 1912 to 1913.
Bohr's scientific works in theoretical physics laid the foundation for new developments in chemistry. In 1913, he created the first quantum theory of the hydrogen atom, which described the electron's motion around the nucleus on specific quantum orbits. He also provided a mathematical description of the stability of these orbits and introduced the concept of the principal quantum number to characterize the electron.
Bohr's theory further explained that energy emission or absorption by an atom occurs through discrete transitions between two stationary states, involving the emission or absorption of Planck's quanta. He also calculated the spectrum of the hydrogen atom, demonstrating a complete agreement between theoretical calculations and empirical data. Additionally, he extended his models to explain the electron's movement in atoms of other elements in the Periodic Table.
Furthermore, in 1921, Bohr developed the first physical theory of the Periodic Table, relating the periodicity of element properties to the formation of electronic configurations as the atomic charge increases. He also divided the groups of the Periodic Table into main and subgroups and explained the similarities among the properties of rare-earth elements. Bohr's principle of correspondence, formulated in 1918, played a crucial role in atomic theory.
Bohr made significant contributions to nuclear physics. In 1936, he developed the theory of compound nuclei and co-created the liquid-drop model of nuclei. He also predicted the phenomenon of spontaneous fission of uranium nuclei.
Niels Bohr established a renowned school of theoretical physicists and became a member of numerous academies of sciences and scientific societies. He was elected as a foreign member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in 1929. In 1922, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his foundational contributions to understanding the structure of atoms and quantum mechanics.