What is the difference between amu and u in atomic mass units?

In summary, there is no difference between amu and u, as they both refer to the atomic mass unit. It is equivalent to 1/12 the mass of an atom of carbon 12 and is also known as Dalton. In chemistry, there are many special units, including the unified atomic mass unit (u) which is equal to 1 g/mol. In chemical engineering, dimensionless numbers such as the Damkohler number are also denoted by the symbol Da.
  • #1
brycenrg
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Homework Statement


What is the difference between amu and u?
In my book they seem to use u but on my online homework it uses u and it seems to be the same thing.

Homework Equations


chemistry has too many special units

The Attempt at a Solution


atomic mass unit 1/12 mass of an atom of carbon 12
u unified atomic mass unit 1 g/mol
I still don't understand what's the importance of the two like what equations do you use over the other.
 
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  • #2
One and the same thing. Also known (but not widely :smile:) as Dalton, symbol: Da

(And in chemical engineering they like dimensionless numbers; one of them is the Damkohler number, with the symbol -- you guessed it! -- Da )
 

1. What is the difference between "Amu" and "u" in atomic mass units?

"Amu" stands for atomic mass unit, while "u" stands for unified atomic mass unit. They are both units of measurement for the mass of atoms, but "u" is a more precise and updated version of "Amu".

2. How are "Amu" and "u" defined?

1 Amu is defined as 1/12 of the mass of a carbon-12 atom, while 1 u is defined as 1/12 of the mass of a neutral carbon-12 atom in its ground state.

3. Which unit is commonly used in modern atomic mass calculations?

The unified atomic mass unit (u) is commonly used in modern atomic mass calculations because it is a more precise and updated unit of measurement.

4. Can "Amu" and "u" be used interchangeably?

Although they are both units of measurement for atomic mass, "Amu" and "u" cannot be used interchangeably because they have different definitions and values.

5. How are "Amu" and "u" related to the atomic mass constant?

The atomic mass constant is defined as 1 Amu or 1 u, depending on the unit system used. It is a conversion factor between mass in atomic units and mass in kilograms.

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