Dalton

Dalton is a unit of mass that is often used in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology. It is named after the British scientist John Dalton, who is known for his work on modern atomic theory. One Dalton is approximately equal to the mass of one proton or neutron.

History

The Dalton is named after the British scientist John Dalton (1766-1844). Dalton is best known for his pioneering work in the development of modern atomic theory, and his research into colour blindness (sometimes referred to as Daltonism, in his honour).

Definition

The Dalton is not an SI unit, and its definition is not tied to an SI base unit. Its value is defined as one twelfth of the mass of a carbon-12 atom in its ground state, and is approximately 1.66053906660(50)×10−27 kg.

Usage

The Dalton is often used in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology to indicate the masses of large molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. For example, a protein with a mass of 64 kDa has a mass of 64,000 Daltons.

See also

• Atomic mass unit
• Molecular mass
• Molar mass

References

Dalton Resources
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