What is the term for a mutation that changes a nucleotide but does not alter the resulting amino acid?

A silent mutation is a type of genetic mutation where a change in a nucleotide sequence does not result in a change in the amino acid sequence of the protein being produced. This occurs because of the redundancy in the genetic code, where multiple codons can code for the same amino acid. Therefore, even though a nucleotide may be altered, the resulting codon may still specify the same amino acid, leading to no functional impact on the protein.

In examining the other types of mutations, a missense mutation changes a nucleotide and results in a different amino acid being incorporated into the protein, which can affect protein function. A frameshift mutation involves the insertion or deletion of nucleotides, altering the reading frame of the genetic code, which can lead to significant changes in the resultant protein. A nonsense mutation changes a nucleotide such that it results in a premature stop codon, leading to truncated proteins.

Thus, the definition and characteristics of a silent mutation align perfectly with the requirement of the question, making it the correct answer.