Atomic mass unit

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Atomic mass unit

The Atomic mass unit (AMU), also known as the Dalton (symbol: Da), is a standard unit of mass that quantifies mass on an atomic or molecular scale (atomic mass).

Pronunciation

  • Atomic mass unit: /əˈtɒmɪk mæs ˈjuːnɪt/
  • Dalton: /ˈdɔːltən/

Etymology

The term "Atomic mass unit" is derived from the method used to calculate the masses of atoms on a scale relative to hydrogen (or one twelfth of the mass of carbon-12), while "Dalton" is named after the English scientist John Dalton, who proposed the atomic theory.

Definition

One atomic mass unit is defined as exactly 1/12 of the mass of a carbon-12 atom, which is approximately 1.66053906660(50)×10−27 kg.

Related Terms

  • Atomic mass: The mass of an atom, most often expressed in unified atomic mass units.
  • Mole (unit): The unit of measurement in the International System of Units (SI) for amount of substance.
  • Avogadro's number: The number of constituent particles, usually atoms or molecules, in one mole of a given substance.
  • Isotope: Each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.

See Also

External links

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