Niels Bohr

Niels Henrik David Bohr

1885 – 1962 (77)

Niels Bohr made significant contributions to the understanding of atomic structure and quantum mechanics. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 7, 1885, and received his PhD from the University of Copenhagen in 1911.

Bohr is best known for his model of the atom, in which he proposed that the electrons in an atom are arranged in shells around the nucleus and that the electrons can only occupy certain energy levels. This model helped to explain the spectral lines observed in atomic spectra, and was a major step forward in the development of quantum mechanics.

He also made important contributions to the development of the nuclear bomb as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. After the war, he worked on the development of nuclear energy and was a strong advocate for international cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

Bohr received numerous awards and honours for his work, including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. He died on November 18, 1962, at the age of 77 due to heart failure.