Abbreviation for atomic mass unit, a measurement of mass used in chemistry and physics to express the mass of atoms and molecules.
Acronym formed from the initial letters of 'atomic mass unit.' Standardized in the 20th century as scientists needed a precise way to measure subatomic particles and molecular weights.
The amu is defined as 1/12th the mass of a carbon-12 atom—scientists literally picked carbon as their reference point, which is why chemistry textbooks talk so much about carbon!
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