• Question: Is it true that Alchemy does not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES work?

    Asked by fayesedg to Cat, Daz, Holly, Johnson, Pamela on 22 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Cat O'Connor

      Cat O'Connor answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hello again Fayesedg,

      Hmmmmmmmmm, interesting question and one I have to admit I know nothing about 🙁 I did once read a book called The Alchemist and that was pretty awesome…but that doesn’t really count.

      I really do not know enough about the physical sciences to pass comment. I think that you cannot turn anything into gold.

      Perhaps you know more about this than me?

      You know what, this past week has only made me realise how much thicker I am than you students! 🙁

      Cat

    • Photo: Johnson Soronnadi

      Johnson Soronnadi answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hello Fayesedg,
      That is an interesting question. I think it got to do with ancient philosophy and myths which has not been scientifically proven till date. In my view I see it as myth and if you believe it, it might work for you but there is no precise and reliable experiement that it works.

      If you know any , feel free to link me up. I have loads of stuff to turn into real gold.

      Johnson.

    • Photo: Pamela Lithgow

      Pamela Lithgow answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi Fayesdg,
      I think if you are going to say “UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES” I might have to be cautious with my answer, I don’t like to talk in to definite terms because you never know what might be around the corner! But I think generally alchemy doesn’t work, but at a quantum level theoretically you could make gold from lead (mind the radiation though because that will kill you!)
      I hope that adds to the answers above
      Pam 🙂

    • Photo: Darren Braddick

      Darren Braddick answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      Hi fayesedg!

      I think I was able to spell your name correct again 🙂 I’m still sorry about getting it wrong before!

      Well, alchemy is a little crazy, but a very cool idea. The idea was that some things can change, so why cant all things?? Once upon a time, it was shown that some creatures could convert sugar compounds into other things. So the guys who saw this thought, hey, if that thing can change into this thing, why can’t lead turn into gold?

      Well, lead is fairly bendy, slightly poisonous and relatively cheap metal, and gold is hard, has value and has enough money value that it can be used to support whole countries and their banks… It seems great if alchemy worked and you could apply the same ideas of turning one thing into another, but it doesn’t work in reality, and no-one has found a good way of doing it! So, it may work, under some circumstances, but they are not yet known!

      Of course, this isn’t all strictly true. Once upon a time it was said that all elements in chemistry were fixed, and you couldn’t move between them. Both lead and gold are included in these elements. However, we know that through certain forms of radioactive physics, actually you DO get changes of the element. This is very cool, and when scientists discovered this, they found it soooo hard to believe. But it does exist! … But unfortunately,… You will never go from lead to gold !

      I hope this helps answer your question!

      Daz

      … PS. it is possible to turn lead into gold, and science has done it by accident. Unfortunately, it requires epic amounts of energy, and the experiments would cost SIGNIFICANTLY more in money than the gold would ever be worth! So I count this as being a bad method, and its not true alchemy anyway!

Comments

  • Photo: Suzi

    Suzi commented on :

    What about if there was some way to take atoms and add (or remove) protons, neutrons and electrons – could you turn something in to gold then? I’ve no idea, and I don’t think the technology exists to do this, but maybe one day it will?

    • Photo: Cat

      Cat commented on :

      Hum, I guess then it’d be possible. I just hope i’m friends with the person who develops this technology so we can keep it a secret for a little while!

    • Photo: Daz

      Daz commented on :

      Hi suzigage,

      Well I do not know if we have a method you can control, but in theory radioactive decay can do this, at least in terms of going from bigger numbers to lower ones. I don’t think we can control any of it though!! I’d be a very cool technology to have though..

      Are you optimistic it could happen?

      Daz

  • Photo: fayesedg

    fayesedg commented on :

    Thanx for all your answers guys!
    No lead to gold transfusions for me!
    Faye

    • Photo: Cat

      Cat commented on :

      But if you ever manage it…..remember us poor wee scientists!! 😛

    • Photo: Daz

      Daz commented on :

      Hi Faye,

      Well, none yet! Maybe the technology would exist one day, although I expect the world would collapse if we could make gold from lead.. Because gold is the most thing which is like money, than money… It would be like having a money printing machine!

      So yeah, Faye if you find any alchemy methods or money printers, remember us 🙂

      Daz

  • Photo: Cat

    Cat commented on :

    Hi all,

    So it turns out alchemy is possible! It also turns out that my Supervisor has been keeping an eye on what I answer! So thanks for this Rowland 😀 :
    http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2002/crabb/modern.html
    The long and the short (and the most I can understand) of it is:
    Yes it can be done
    It’s damn expensive
    It’s very unstable
    It’s not going to make Faye, Daz or me rich

    🙁