Proposal for an absolute, atomic definition of mass

It was proposed that the mass of a particle be defined by its de Broglie frequency, measured as ${\mathit{c}}^2$/λ/γv, where λ/ is the mean de Broglie wavelength of the particle when it has mean speed v and Lorentz factor γ; the masses of systems too large to have a measurable λ/ are then to be derived by specifying the usual inertial and additive properties of mass. This avoids the use of an arbitrary macroscopic standard such as the prototype kilogram, and does not even require the choice of a specific particle as a mass standard. Suggestions are made as to how this absolute mass can be realized and measured at the macroscopic level and comments are made on the effect of the new definition on the form of the equations of physics.