What is Carbon-12?

Carbon-12 is like a special version of a building block that makes up everything around us.

Imagine you have a bunch of tiny atoms, think of them as super small Lego pieces. Carbon atoms are one type of these Legos, and Carbon-12 is like a specific color or size in the Lego set. It has 6 protons in its center and 6 neutrons too, making it very balanced.

Think of a carbon atom like a little sandwich shop. The nucleus (the middle part) has protons and neutrons, like the fillings inside your sandwich. In Carbon-12, there are exactly 6 protons and 6 neutrons, just right for this type of carbon.

Scientists use Carbon-12 as a standard because it’s very stable, like a ruler that never changes length. When they measure the weight of other atoms, they compare them to Carbon-12. It's like using a perfect measuring tape for everything else!