2006-12-17 18:01:59 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Bolos of Mendes (AKA Democritus) 200BC treatise on alchemy
Physica, in four books, on the making of gold,silver, gems, purple
*‘nature delights in nature; and nature conquers nature and nature masters nature’
so quoted in Maria and in Isis
interest in metals: changing copper into gold using arsenic, mercury and antinomy
importance of color as determinant of nature
Gold sheen was gold-like
First step in transmutation was to find the prime matter,
then add the pure qualities in succession to attain the perfection of gold
2006-12-17 18:07:16 · answer #1 · answered by redcoat7121 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Archimedes figured out how to tell if a crown made of gold was pure when he got in a bathtub and noticed how the water raised when it displaced his weight,
a gold object will have a density higher than any alloy that looks like gold,
therefore smaller volume to weight ratio...
in other words, the real gold will be heavier than the fake when the volume is the same,
or if the weight is the same the displaced water (volume)
will be less for the real gold...
because copper is the only element besides gold that has color except grey white or black...
now to answer the question,,,
a mixture of copper, nickel, and gold can be made to look like gold, or silver and some other metals can be added to the mix...
there is no chemical bonding involved here like when hydrogen and oxygen combine to make water...
this is simply a mixture ,,
too much copper in the mix= too dark...more orange color,,,
too much nickel or silver,,, too light,,, pale yellow,,,
balance them out you can get a fair approximation to gold,
of course there is nothing like the real thing,, and one of the reasons gold is expensive, prized and sought after
2006-12-18 09:13:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
alchemistry is what you are talking about, base metals to gold. It can be done but not at home. It takes the force of a supernova or the money of a cyclotron to smash atoms and reconstruct the protons neutrons electrons or blah and blah. Get real, go out and work hard , earn money and see how copper changes into gold
2006-12-18 03:30:37 · answer #3 · answered by moss010 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pay your gold miners in copper coins perchance?
Yeah, looked it up and my method definately works. You can even skip the mining step and simply find a money changer. Anywhere from the reign of Augustus to Nero you could change 400 copper Asses for 1 gold Aureus coin.
2006-12-18 02:28:53 · answer #4 · answered by Eaving OLarkin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The alchemist (chemists of middle age) wanted to transform not copper but plumb in gold. They never succeeded and search desperately the "philosophical stone" in order to make this transformation. Even now, as gold and copper are elements it is impossible to change one in the other
2006-12-18 05:21:47 · answer #5 · answered by maussy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there is no technique to change copper to gold it is totally a lie
you are misteken
2006-12-18 02:37:03 · answer #6 · answered by dragonbooster250 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't change copper to gold. Its lead to gold anyway.
2006-12-18 02:07:51 · answer #7 · answered by Haven17 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alchemy (the predecessor to chemistry) was the effort to change lead into gold, but attempts to change other elements were also made.
2006-12-18 02:15:42 · answer #8 · answered by The Invisible Man 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
alchemistry-method of changing any element to gold in ancient times
2006-12-18 02:10:03 · answer #9 · answered by HARSH S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electroplating and hope they don't notice. That or make it into brass and hope they don't figure out the gold wasn't used.
2006-12-18 02:11:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋