2006-12-11 14:32:59 · 7 answers · asked by Gomennasai Usagi On'nanoko 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Stars can change hydrogen into gold, but humans' knowledge of nuclear chemistry is still too limited to do much with.
2006-12-11 14:42:08 · answer #1 · answered by Amy F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuclear chemistry is possible, but extremely difficult. It is most commonly done by bombarding an element with neutrons which are absorbed and then emit an electron (beta decay), resulting in a net +1 proton gain, thereby transforming an element into the element of the next highest atomic mass. Thus if you wanted to make gold you'd start with platinum, which is actually even more expensive than gold. You would not want to start with carbon. Since the most common man-made nuclear transformations involve adding +1 atomic masses, btw, you could go (in theory at least) from gold to lead (3 more protons), but not from lead to gold.
On the other hand, whereas gold costs approximately $20/gram, the resulting materials of nuclear transformations cost ~$10,000/gram and potentially much much more. You expend a lot of energy to accomplish the transformation, and then have to purify it afterwards. Thus there is essentially no reason whatsoever to make gold using nuclear chemistry.
On the other hand, as other answerers have pointed out, stars do this kind of transformation all the time. They start with 2H->He, and build progressively larger atoms (although in smaller percentages) afterwards. All the gold on earth is the result of some star that exploded and left behind gold, and it's the same story for pretty much every other element other than hydrogen.
2006-12-11 23:03:59 · answer #2 · answered by Some Body 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is could be possible (not sure if it has been done), but highly unpractical. The element carbon is unique because it has 6 protons in its nucleus. Gold on the other hand has 47 protons. (See atomic number to figure out number of protons). In order to change carbon into gold, you must change the atomic number of carbon, that is, you must add an additional 41 protons. This allows carbon to become an unstable form of gold. (An element is unique/different from other elements by the number of protons the atom contains.)
2006-12-11 22:56:23 · answer #3 · answered by Sciremaniac 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It IS possible, but the result is highly radioactive, so it is not practical. You need to use nuclear fusion to make it happen, so you also have to expend enormous amounts of energy. Possible yes, practical no.
2006-12-11 22:36:12 · answer #4 · answered by Paul H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not possible!
2006-12-11 22:42:49 · answer #5 · answered by phirefighter1982 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
u can't change one element into another unless ur king midas
2006-12-11 22:36:32 · answer #6 · answered by people suck 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Do you have the philosophers stone?
2006-12-11 22:36:50 · answer #7 · answered by Myra G 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋