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What is atomic mass unit?

what is 1/12th of the carbon atom?

The atomic mass unit (abbreviated as amu or simply u) is a unit that is used to express the atomic masses of atoms and molecular masses of compounds. One atomic mass unit is a mass unit equal to exactly one twelfth (1/12th) the mass of one atom of carbon-12. The atomic masses of all elements have been found relative to an atom of carbon-12.

1/12th of carbon atom is basically the one twelfth the mass of one atom of carbon-12 isotope. 

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Atomic mass unit is exactly equal to 1/12 th the mass of  one atom of carbon 12 and

1/12 the mass of carbon 12 is the atomic mass unit(u).

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 The atomic mass is the total number of protons and neutrons present in nucleus an atom. It is determined with reference to another element which is carbon. It usually expressed in atomic mass units (amu). One amu is defined as a mass equal one-twelfth the mass of one C-12 atom. This term is basically used in reference to the mass of one particular isotope of an element only.

 

The relative atomic mass of the atom of an element is simply defined as the average mass of the atom, as compared to 1/12 th the mass of one carbon-12 atom. This term is used in reference to the weighted average of the masses of different isotopes. 

hope it helped :)

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