gold through radioactivity?

Question

is it possible to create elemental gold or an isotope of gold through radioactivity?

Answer 1

dear shanetrain, radioactivity is the emmission of NEUTRON and specific electromagnetic radioations...

To modify 1 atom to another type of atom, you need to change the number of PROTONS


what yuo need to do is a nuclear reaction. And yes, it's possible. But it's useless since it would need about 3 nuclear power plants to produce 100g of gold per year.

100g of gold = a few thousand dollars (about $1500 to be more accurate. however, the figure of 100g is only speculative. but it's that kind of production you can expect)
3 nuclear power plants during a years = the electic bills of 3 states (USA).... (you're begining to talk billions of dollars)


(and you've not yet financed the construction of the facility to change lead (or something else) in gold... that would be several billion of dollars too. Perhaps several hundred billion dollars)

do you still want to do it?

We do that all the time for types of atoms that don't exist in nature, though... like rutherfordium (104)
atoms with atomic number from 104 to 116 are artificially created.

Answer 2

It must be possible, at least in theory, since all matter in the Universe, including gold, ultimately come from fusion of hydrogen. But as far as I know, gold has never been made artificially.

Even if it where possible, it would probably be much more expensive that alternative ways of getting gold, such as mining or even extracting it from seawater.

Answer 3

yes its possible to make gold but gold so made is temporary.

Answer 4

yes it possible through emission of particles(neutrons or protons) at high speed