In simplified terms using relative masses (with the proton as the reference), what is the relative mass of a proton?

• A. $0$
• B. $2$
• C. $1$
• D. $\frac{1}{1840}$

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the problem asks for the relative mass of a proton using the proton as the reference point. This means the proton's mass is compared to itself.
2. Recall that relative mass is a ratio comparing the mass of a particle to the mass of a reference particle. Here, the proton is the reference, so its relative mass is set to 1.
3. Recognize that the proton's mass is approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu), which is the standard unit used for relative atomic masses.
4. Note that other particles, like electrons, have much smaller relative masses (for example, about 1/1840 of a proton's mass), but this does not affect the proton's relative mass when it is the reference.
5. Conclude that since the proton is the reference particle, its relative mass is defined as 1 by convention.