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- AuthorAlexandrea Dillon
Alexandrea has taught secondary science for over six years. She has a bachelors degree in Teaching Secondary Science and a Masters of Education in Instructional Design. She's TESOL certified and a National Geographic Certified Educator. In addition, she was the spotlight educator for National Geographic in late 2019.
View bio - InstructorAllyn Torres
Allyn has taught high school chemistry, and has a master's degree in curriculum and instruction.
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Learn the concept of transmutation in alchemy and whether real-life alchemy is possible. Understand how to turn lead into gold through nuclear transmutation.Updated: 11/21/2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Is alchemy possible in real life?
Alchemy is possible in real life, but the reasons behind it are far different from what original alchemists thought. The original alchemists thought they could spiritually bring elements to perfection, turning them into gold. Today, particle accelerators can be used to create transmutation in elements, which transforms them into something else.
Can you turn lead into gold?
Yes, lead can be turned into gold. In 1980, a famous scientist turned a small sample of bismuth into gold and won a Nobel Peace Prize.
What is transmutation in alchemy?
Transmutation is the action of taking an element and transforming it into another element. Transmutation is possible through particle accelerators and radioactive decay.
Table of Contents
- Transmutation in Alchemy
- Is Alchemy Possible?
- Nuclear Transmutation
- Lesson Summary
Alchemy and astrology are often lumped together as the misleading imaginings of mystics from centuries past. While this is true for astrology, alchemy is actually the historical precursor to the entire field of chemistry. The thought process behind alchemy was using spirituality or science to transform one type of matter into something different. The most famous example of this is the quest to turn lead into gold. The idea sprang up and began to be documented in the year 100, and reached its peak of popularity in medieval times. However, it was practiced by some famous scientists well past the medieval period. There are offshoots of alchemy dedicated to lengthening life, seeking immortality, and discovering magic. Much of this was centered around discovering a mystical substance, dubbed the Philosopher's Stone, which could be a mysterious powder, rock, liquid, or wax. It was believed that metals were flawed, and by getting them to reach spiritual maturity and perfection, they would turn into more valuable materials, like silver and gold. The depth of study required to help these base metals reach spiritual maturity resulted in chemistry, as we know it in a modern sense.
Some famous scientists who identified as alchemists, as well, are listed below.
- Isaac Newton was a very famous scientist who studied a wide breadth of subjects, and his most famous contribution to science is the collection of Newton's Laws of Physics. Later in his life, he believed he had found the recipe for the Philosopher's Stone.
- Robert Boyle was also an alchemist. He made exceedingly important contributions to science as well, including Boyle's Law, which is a formula for the relationship between pressure and temperature. The formula was revolutionary in the 17th century, and an impressive feat of intellect given the knowledge base and experimental materials available at the time. He also made scientific contributions to medicine, hydrostatics, and earth science.
- Ge Hong is a very famous scientist who believed that everyone could be immortal using inner peace and alchemy-based materials. In his search for the ability to turn lead into gold, he accidentally created the first gunpowder, which revolutionized every aspect of the world. Not only did this spark the creation of fireworks, but changed warfare as well.
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It is easy to discard alchemy as a whole because its origins are in spirituality. This is partially true because the Philosopher's Stone is a myth. Immortality, and the ability to turn lead into gold by finding the exact combination of certain materials, has been scientifically disproven. However, the concept of turning one material into another is now called transmutation. Transmutation is very possible and has been proven both theoretically and in the real world.
Transmutation occurs both in nature and in laboratories. Nuclear transmutation occurs when the nucleus of an element is altered, which changes the makeup and identity of an atom. Radioactive decay occurs when radioactive materials, like uranium, emit their nuclear particles into the environment. This releases energy as it occurs, and also changes the composition of the radioactive nucleus.
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Nuclear transmutation can also be considered nuclear alchemy because the goal of alchemy is being achieved. One element is being transformed in every aspect into another element. This can occur artificially through means like a particle accelerator, which is pictured below. It works by shooting atoms at each other using high speeds within a beam, which clashes them together with force. This creates nuclear fusion, wherein all (or part) of both preexisting atoms fuse together. Is alchemy possible? Modern alchemy is, through the science of a particle accelerator. This is transmutation, or real-life alchemy.
There are two types of radioactive decay.
- Alpha decay occurs when a helium nucleus is released from an existing element. This decreases the total mass by 4 amu, and the nuclear mass by 2 protons.
- Beta decay occurs when a proton becomes a neutron, which releases an electron. The electron is released because the positive charge holding it in the orbit of the atom no longer exists. The mass stays the same, as the weight of electrons is negligible, but the atomic number increases by 1 amu. There are three types of beta decay; positron emission, electron emission, and electron capture.
Neither of these options is feasible for large-scale production at the time this lesson was written. The infrastructure required to either contain radioactive materials or accelerate particles are currently extremely expensive and has not reached economic viability. The amount of energy required to accelerate particles to this speed is massive, and finding these materials naturally occurring in or on the Earth, is, by far, less energy and resource-intensive.
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Can You Turn Lead Into Gold?
Can you turn lead into gold? Surprisingly, the answer is yes! Glenn Seaborg transformed a very small sample of bismuth into gold in 1980. He won a Nobel Prize for his work. A sample of bismuth is pictured below. He didn't quite turn lead into gold, but his award-winning experiment shows that it is theoretically possible.
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Alchemy is the practice of using spirituality or science to transform one type of matter into another. Alchemy is the historical precursor to chemistry. The most famous example of this is the quest to turn lead into gold. The idea sprang up and began to be documented in the year 100, and reached its peak of popularity in medieval times. However, it was practiced by some famous scientists well past the medieval period, including Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle. Alchemy is possible, in a sense, through transmutation. Transmutation is transforming one material into another. Nuclear transmutation occurs when the nucleus of an element is altered, which changes the makeup and identity of an atom. This is achieved using a particle accelerator. Radioactive decay occurs when radioactive materials, like uranium, emit their nuclear particles into the environment. This releases energy as it occurs, and also changes the composition of the radioactive nucleus. There are two types of radioactive decay.
- Alpha decay occurs when a helium nucleus is released from an existing element. This decreases the total mass by 4 amu and the nuclear mass by 2 protons. Electrons can be captured.
- Beta decay occurs when a proton becomes a neutron, which releases an electron. The electron is released because the positive charge holding it in the orbit of the atom no longer exists. The mass stays the same, as the weight of electrons is negligible, but the atomic number increases by 1 amu. There are three types of beta decay; positron emission, electron emission, and electron capture.
There are offshoots of alchemy dedicated to lengthening life, seeking immortality, and discovering magic. Much of this was centered around discovering a mystical substance, named the Philosopher's Stone, which could be a mysterious powder, rock, liquid, or wax. It was believed that metals were flawed, and by getting them to reach spiritual maturity and perfection, they would turn into more valuable materials, like silver and gold. The depth of study required to help these base metals reach spiritual maturity resulted in chemistry.
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Video Transcript
What Is Alchemy?
Did you know that if you had the proper equipment and knowledge, you could turn lead into gold? Have you ever read the story of ''Rumpelstiltskin''? If you have, this isn't the first time you've heard of the idea of turning something fairly useless into gold. The story makes reference to the practice of alchemy (spinning straw into gold), though it's not stated explicitly. This may be hard to believe, but the concept of this fairy tale isn't so far-fetched. Keep watching (or reading!) to learn how!
The first attempts at turning lead into gold were made by alchemists. Alchemy is a spiritual belief system in medieval times that was half experimentation and half magic. Practitioners tried to turn less desirable substances into ''high'' metals (like gold and silver). They believed that lead was just a lower form of gold that hadn't been fully matured, so all lead had the ability to become gold. This was not done out of greed typically. Alchemists believed that gold was a spiritually perfect metal, while lead was immature and flawed.
Alchemists used a substance called the ''philosopher's stone''. It was supposed to be healing, life prolonging, and have the ability to change one metal into another. Not surprisingly, alchemy was unsuccessful. In our modern world, with all the technology and information we have, alchemy sounds a bit ridiculous. However, in its time, alchemy seemed plausible. Even Isaac Newton researched and wrote about alchemy.
Nuclear Transmutation
In modern times, it has been discovered that lead can in fact be turned into gold, but not through alchemy, and only in insignificant amounts. Nuclear transmutation involves the use of a particle accelerator to change one element into another. Particle accelerators force two different types of radioactive decay, which involves nuclear reactions that can transform one element into another. Let's take a look at some of the different kinds of nuclear transmutation in a little more detail.
Alpha Decay
Alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle from the nucleus of an atom. An alpha particle contains 2 positive protons and 2 neutrons (just like a helium atom). When this happens, the nucleus of the atom loses two protons and two neutrons. Since the number of protons determine the identity of the element, this turns the atom into an atom of a different element. Neutrons only affect the mass of the atom. So, in alpha decay, the atom becomes lighter in mass by 4 amu. For example, if a radium atom (atomic number 88) with a mass of 226 amu undergoes alpha decay, the result will be a radon atom (atomic number 86) with a mass of 222 amu.
Beta Decay
Beta decay involves a change in the number of protons (and therefore the atomic number) in an atom by 1 but doesn't affect the mass of the atom.
There are three types of beta decay:
- Electron emission (also called negative beta decay), which involves an electron and an antineutrino (a particle with no charge nor mass) being ejected from an atom. In this process, a neutron becomes a proton and the atomic number increases by 1. For example, if a palladium atom (atomic number 46) with an atomic mass of 106 amu undergoes electron emission, the result will be a silver atom (atomic number 47) with an atomic mass of 106 amu.
- Positron emission (also called positive beta decay), which involves the release of a positron (a positive particle with no mass) and a neutrino (a particle with no charge nor mass, like an antineutrino). This is a complex process that results in the decrease in the number of protons (and atomic number) in the atom by 1. For example, if a mercury atom (atomic number 80) with a mass of 201 amu undergoes positron emission, the result will be a gold atom (atomic number 79) with a mass of 201 amu. And, finally
- Electron capture, which involves an electron combining with a proton to make a neutron and a neutrino. This results in a decrease in the number of protons (and atomic number) by 1. For example, if a cadmium atom (atomic number 48) with a mass of 112 amu undergoes electron capture, the result will be a silver atom (atomic number 47) with a mass of 112 amu.
Lesson Summary
All right. Let's take a moment to review what we've learned. The medieval practice of alchemy was a belief system that sought to turn ''low metals'' (like lead) into ''high metals'' (like gold). This practice was based upon experimentation and the practice of magic. It was often done in an effort to make less desirable metals spiritually perfect by maturing them into their best forms (gold, silver, etc.). Alchemy was an unsuccessful endeavor.
In modern times, science has found a way to actually change one element into another. Nuclear transmutation uses particle accelerators in order to force one element to change into another, with a process called radioactive decay, which involves nuclear reactions that can transform one element to another.
There are two types of decay:
- Alpha decay, which results in a decrease in protons by 2 and a decrease in mass number by 4 amu, and
- Beta decay, which results in a change in the number of protons
There are also three types of beta decay, including:
- Electron emission, which results in an increase in protons by 1
- Positron emission, which results in a decrease in protons by 1, and
- Electron capture, which results in a decrease in protons by 1
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