Inertia, defined as the resistance to changes in motion, is inherently linked to mass in physics. An isolated mass does possess inertia, as it has mass. However, the concept of applying an external force becomes problematic in the absence of other masses to create a reaction. Without other masses, the application of force cannot occur, complicating the definition of inertia in this scenario. Ultimately, while inertia can be defined for an isolated mass, its practical implications are limited due to the lack of external interactions.