Can proton mass be measured without assuming inertia?

AI Thread Summary
Direct gravitational measurements of subatomic particles, such as protons, are considered impractical, leading to reliance on indirect methods like magnetic field interactions. The discussion raises the possibility of using a box of hydrogen to measure proton mass, suggesting that the containment of neutrons could facilitate measurement without scattering. The feasibility of measuring proton mass through direct gravitational methods remains uncertain, but the idea of utilizing hydrogen or other atoms is proposed as a potential approach. The conversation highlights the challenges and limitations of current measurement techniques in particle physics. Overall, the exploration of alternative methods to determine proton mass continues to be a topic of interest.
bubsir
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Direct gravitational measurements of subatomic particles seems impossible. Has it been done/tried? The mass of the proton as I know it is always "indirectly" determined by (for example) bending a beam of charged protons in a magnetic field.
 
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It's been done with neutrons.

But what's wrong with using a box of hydrogen?
 
Could that be because you can gather a large number of neutrons together without them scattering in all directions before you can measure them?
Hydrogen - yes, why not? Or any other atom, for that matter.
 
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