Interview of Niels Bohr
Luke: So Mr. Bohr, when and where were you born?
Niels Bohr: I was born on October 7, 1885 in Copenhagen.
Luke: Were you wealthier or poor when you grew up?
Niels Bohr: I lived in a large house with my family, so I guess you could say I was on the wealthy side.
Luke: Okay, so what were the names of your parents?
Niels Bohr: Their names were Christian and Ellen.
Luke: What did they do for a living?
Niels Bohr: My mother stayed at home most of the time while my father was a professor of psychology at Copenhagen University.
Luke: Do you have any siblings?
Niels Bohr: Yes, I do in fact. Their names are Harald and Jenny.
Luke: Are you the oldest?
Niels Bohr: Actually Jenny is the oldest. Then I am in the middle. Harald was born about 19 months after me.
Luke: Are you close to either your siblings?
Niels Bohr: Jenny and aren't too close, but Harald has been my best friend for my whole life. He has supported me and my ideas throughout the ups and downs of my career.
Luke: What does he do for a living?
Niels Bohr: He is a actually a former mathematician who is now an Olympic soccer player.
Luke: Oh wow, so did you graduate from college at home in Copenhagen or from somewhere else?
Niels Bohr: I graduated near home at Copenhagen University.
Luke: What did you study?
Niels Bohr: I studied physics just like my father did.
Luke: Was that all that you studied?
Niels Bohr: Actually, I also studied astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.
Luke: Oh wow! That must have been tough on you. You probably didn't have time for any other activities.
Niels Bohr: Its funny that you ask that because I actually won a gold medal competition for measuring the surface tension of certain liquids.
Luke: So are you married?
Niels Bohr: Actually I am. Her name is Margrethe.
Luke: Do you guys have any children:
Niels Bohr: Well, actually do. We have four boys. Their names are Aage, Hans, Erik, and Ernest. We had two others, Christian and Harald but they both passed.
Luke: I am sorry to hear that. I hear you have your own model of the atom. What is it called?
Niels Bohr: I call it the Bohr Model.
Luke: Oh okay. Is there a nucleus in your atom?
Niels Bohr: Yes, and it is located in the center of the atom.
Luke: Can you explain what it looks like in the nucleus.
Niels Bohr: Yes, it has the nucleus in the center as said before. The nucleus has an equal amount of protons and neutrons.
Luke: What does your model look like outside of the nucleus?
Niels Bohr: Well, it has electrons that revolve around the nucleus.
Luke: Explain the difference between your model and Rutherford's and why yours is more accurate.
Niels Bohr: Well, in the Rutherford model, he does not state that the electrons revolve around the nucleus. I believe that my model is more accurate because I have studied atoms and isotopes with better technology that Rutherford studied to make his own model.
Luke: Do you have any other new beliefs about the atom?
Niels Bohr: Actually, in my studies, I have found that an electron can drop from a higher energy orbit to a lower energy orbit in an atom. During this process, the atom emits a quantum of discrete energy.
Luke: Oh wow! So you were living in Holland during the time of WWII. What was it like?
Niels Bohr: It was very tough. The nazis invaded and took most of the Jews to concentration camps.
Luke: That sounds like it would have been very hard to go through something like that. Did you make any contributions to the war?
Niels Bohr: I opened an institute with the help of the Rockefeller Foundation that gave refugees temporary jobs.
Luke: Tell me about this institute.
Niels Bohr: Well, it provided the refugees with financial support, arranged for them to be awarded fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, found them places at institutions around the world
Luke: Wow! You have had a very adventurous life Mr. Bohr. Thank you for your time.
Niels Bohr: No problem. I appreciate you having me.
Niels Bohr: I was born on October 7, 1885 in Copenhagen.
Luke: Were you wealthier or poor when you grew up?
Niels Bohr: I lived in a large house with my family, so I guess you could say I was on the wealthy side.
Luke: Okay, so what were the names of your parents?
Niels Bohr: Their names were Christian and Ellen.
Luke: What did they do for a living?
Niels Bohr: My mother stayed at home most of the time while my father was a professor of psychology at Copenhagen University.
Luke: Do you have any siblings?
Niels Bohr: Yes, I do in fact. Their names are Harald and Jenny.
Luke: Are you the oldest?
Niels Bohr: Actually Jenny is the oldest. Then I am in the middle. Harald was born about 19 months after me.
Luke: Are you close to either your siblings?
Niels Bohr: Jenny and aren't too close, but Harald has been my best friend for my whole life. He has supported me and my ideas throughout the ups and downs of my career.
Luke: What does he do for a living?
Niels Bohr: He is a actually a former mathematician who is now an Olympic soccer player.
Luke: Oh wow, so did you graduate from college at home in Copenhagen or from somewhere else?
Niels Bohr: I graduated near home at Copenhagen University.
Luke: What did you study?
Niels Bohr: I studied physics just like my father did.
Luke: Was that all that you studied?
Niels Bohr: Actually, I also studied astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.
Luke: Oh wow! That must have been tough on you. You probably didn't have time for any other activities.
Niels Bohr: Its funny that you ask that because I actually won a gold medal competition for measuring the surface tension of certain liquids.
Luke: So are you married?
Niels Bohr: Actually I am. Her name is Margrethe.
Luke: Do you guys have any children:
Niels Bohr: Well, actually do. We have four boys. Their names are Aage, Hans, Erik, and Ernest. We had two others, Christian and Harald but they both passed.
Luke: I am sorry to hear that. I hear you have your own model of the atom. What is it called?
Niels Bohr: I call it the Bohr Model.
Luke: Oh okay. Is there a nucleus in your atom?
Niels Bohr: Yes, and it is located in the center of the atom.
Luke: Can you explain what it looks like in the nucleus.
Niels Bohr: Yes, it has the nucleus in the center as said before. The nucleus has an equal amount of protons and neutrons.
Luke: What does your model look like outside of the nucleus?
Niels Bohr: Well, it has electrons that revolve around the nucleus.
Luke: Explain the difference between your model and Rutherford's and why yours is more accurate.
Niels Bohr: Well, in the Rutherford model, he does not state that the electrons revolve around the nucleus. I believe that my model is more accurate because I have studied atoms and isotopes with better technology that Rutherford studied to make his own model.
Luke: Do you have any other new beliefs about the atom?
Niels Bohr: Actually, in my studies, I have found that an electron can drop from a higher energy orbit to a lower energy orbit in an atom. During this process, the atom emits a quantum of discrete energy.
Luke: Oh wow! So you were living in Holland during the time of WWII. What was it like?
Niels Bohr: It was very tough. The nazis invaded and took most of the Jews to concentration camps.
Luke: That sounds like it would have been very hard to go through something like that. Did you make any contributions to the war?
Niels Bohr: I opened an institute with the help of the Rockefeller Foundation that gave refugees temporary jobs.
Luke: Tell me about this institute.
Niels Bohr: Well, it provided the refugees with financial support, arranged for them to be awarded fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, found them places at institutions around the world
Luke: Wow! You have had a very adventurous life Mr. Bohr. Thank you for your time.
Niels Bohr: No problem. I appreciate you having me.