Atomic mass, also known as atomic weight, is a measure of the mass of an atom, typically expressed in atomic mass units (amu). It reflects the weighted average mass of an element's isotopes based on their natural abundance.
For example:
- The atomic mass of carbon is about 12.01 amu, which accounts for the natural abundance of its isotopes, primarily carbon-12 and a small fraction of carbon-13 and carbon-14.
- The atomic mass of an element can