/sci/ - Science & Math

Does a mass spectrometer "weigh" atoms?

For a mass to have weight, it traditionally must exert a force on a scale. Weight involves force. Mass can be "weightless" in space, where gravitational forces are negligible.

But does gravity need to be the force?

If the magnetic/electric field in a mass spectrometer exerts a force on the atoms to measure them, does that count as "weight"?

Does "weight" imply gravity? Does it imply force? Or is it simply the act of measuring mass? Can you "weigh" something simply by counting atoms?

What do you autists know about mass spectrometry engineering as a field?