Bohr

Bohr may refer to a surname or to terms named after Niels Bohr, a Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and atomic structure. The most prominent bearer is Niels Bohr (1885–1962), whose work earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. In 1913, he proposed the Bohr model of the atom, introducing quantized electron orbits with angular momentum L = nħ and discrete energy levels. This model explained the spectral lines of hydrogen and linked classical concepts with emerging quantum ideas, though it was later superseded by more complete theories. Bohr also developed the correspondence principle and helped form the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics with colleagues in Copenhagen, emphasizing complementary descriptions of physical phenomena. He founded the Institute of Theoretical Physics in Copenhagen, now known as the Niels Bohr Institute, and played a central role in 20th-century physics education and research.

The name Bohr is associated with the Bohr radius, the atomic unit of length a0, approximately 0.529 angstroms, which expresses typical atomic-scale distances. The Bohr radius is used in calculations within atomic physics and quantum chemistry and is named in honor of Niels Bohr.

Aage Niels Bohr (1922–2009), the son of Niels Bohr, was also a distinguished physicist. He shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the collective motion of nucleons and the development of models of nuclear structure.

In addition to individuals, Bohr appears as a surname connected to various scientific terms and concepts. The term bohr (lowercase) is an alternative historical reference to the Bohr radius in atomic physics.