Atomic Mass Unit (amu/u) is a unit of measurement used to express the mass of atoms and subatomic particles. It is defined as 1/12th the mass of a carbon-12 nucleus.
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Carbon-12 nucleus: The carbon-12 nucleus is used as the standard reference for assigning atomic masses. It has a mass of exactly 12 atomic mass units.
Protons: Protons are positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They contribute to the overall mass and determine the element's identity.
Neutrons: Neutrons are neutral subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They also contribute to the overall mass but do not affect the element's identity.