IS it possible to add or remove a proton from an atom so that it will have the same configuration of another element?

The term transmutation was first consciously applied to modern physics by Frederick Soddy when he, along with Ernest Rutherford, discovered that radioactive thorium was converting itself into radium in 1901.

 

At the moment of realization, Soddy later recalled, he shouted out: "Rutherford, this is transmutation!"

 

Rutherford snapped back, "For Christ's sake, Soddy, don't call it transmutation. They'll have our heads off as alchemists.

 

As for changing gold into iron

the Prussian royal family urged all citizens to contribute their gold and silver jewellery towards funding the uprising against Napoleon during the War of Liberation. In return the people were given iron jewellery such as brooches and finger rings, often with the inscription Gold gab ich für Eisen (I gave gold for iron)

 

IS it possible to add or remove a proton from an atom so that it will have the same configuration of another element?

 

I asked the same question to my chemistry teacher in high school and he claimed it was too expensive to be worth but that it had been done (and I thnik this is a chemistry question, not a physics question)

 

Edit: http://en.wikipedia....r_transmutation transmutation intended to make gold from lead, from iron the goal was silver...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesis_of_precious_metals

Edited May 12, 201213 yr by anotherfilthyape

How can this be chemistry?

How can this be chemistry?

 

It involves chemical reactions, it involves altering the chemistry of one element to obtain another one it does not involves the forces of energy and matter as such but the composition of matter

it's nuclear chemistry. although thats really more physics than chemistry.

!

Moderator Note

Aguirre, I've removed your posts as they are absolutely unrelated to the topic. Please try not to post irrelevant quotes in the future and please do not respond to this mod-note.

!

Moderator Note

You're all welcome to create a new topic on the differences between physics and chemistry, etc. In this thread, however, the topic is creating gold from iron.