Atomic mass unit (amu or dalton): The basic unit of mass on an atomic scale. One amu or dalton is one-twelfth the mass of a carbon 12 atom (in other words, the mass of a hydrogen atom, 1.66 x 10-24 g). Therefore, there are 6.
(dawl-ton)
The atomic mass unit; a measure of mass for atoms and subatomic particles.
Darwinian fitness
A measure of the relative contribution of an individual to the gene pool of the next generation.
The mass of subatomic particles is too small to be conveniently measured in grams so atomic mass units (amu) are used instead. Atomic mass units are also called daltons. One amu (or dalton) is approximately 1.7 X 10-24g.
The size of a synthesized protein can be measured by the number of amino acids it contains and by its total molecular mass, which is normally reported in units of daltons (synonymous with atomic mass units), or the derivative unit kilodalton (kDa).
neutron An uncharged subatomic particle in the nucleus of an atom. The large (mass approximately equal to 1 atomic mass unit), electrically neutral particle that may occur in the atomic nucleus.
niche The biological role played by a species.
atomic mass A mass unit determined by arbitrarily assigning the carbon-12 isotope a mass of 12 atomic mass units.
atomic nucleus Most of the mass of an atom; composed of protons and neutrons.
The proton is located in the center (or nucleus) of an atom, each atom has at least one proton. Protons have a charge of +1, and a mass of approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu). Elements differ from each other in the number of protons they have, e.
 See also: Organ, Action, Acids, Protein, Species
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