Uniт II

I. Text: niels bohr

Bohr is a Danish physicist, one of the most ingenious interpreters of his generation of his problems of modern theoretical physics. Born at Copenhagen on October 7, 1885, he did physics at the University of Copenhagen, obtaining his doctor’s degree in 1913 and proceeded immediately to Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge for further study under Sir J.J.Thomson. In 1912 he moved to Manchester University, where he was associated with Ernest Rutherford in latter’s atomic research. In 1914, following a year as lecturer at the University of Copenhagen Bohr returned to Manchester, remaining there until 1916, when he was made professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen.

In 1920, largely due to Bohr’s efforts, the Institute of Theoretical Physics was established at Copenhagen. He became its first head and under him the Institute became an important centre for the development of theoretical and experimental physics. Prior to World War II Bohr’s Institute had become the world center for atomic physics.

Just before World War II Bohr advanced the idea that the compound nucleus was fundamental to the phenomena of nuclear disintegration, a concept that proved fruitful in later work. In collaboration with John Archibald Wheeler he proposed a theory of nuclear fission that lad to atomic research which produced atomic bomb.

In 1943, after the Nazis had occupied Denmark, Bohr escaped to England in a small boat. Making the way to the United States, he took a leading part in the atomic bomb project, working mainly at the laboratory established in early 1943 at Los Angeles in New Mexico. In 1944 - 1945 Bohr served as adviser to the Scientific Staff of the Manhattan Project. In 1945 Bohr returned to Copenhagen to resume his duties as director of the Institute of Theoretical Physics.

Bohr’s great achievement was recognized internatially by the Nobel prize awarded to him in 1922 for his study of atomic structure and radiation. In 1957 he was the first recipient of the Atoms for Peace award. That same year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he delivered his lecture on the philosophical Lessons of Atomic Progress.

II. Words and word combinations to be memorized

to be associated with	phenomenon (phenomena)
to work in collaboration with	project
to work in a team	to consult one’s supervisor
to take part in	theory
to take a leading part in	to propose a theory
to achieve	to advance an idea
achievement	theoretical
lecture	theoretician
to deliver lectures	practice
syn. to lecture	practical
lecturer	practician
to be born	experiment
to study under somebody	experimental
to be recognized	experimentor