Why can't we make stable gold?

[Onceler]

Maybe by making a heavier element that decays into stable gold but has this been discovered yet?

 

[CycloWizard]

What about gold is "unstable" now? It's very stable, which is one of the reasons it's considered valuable.

 

[PottedMeat]

sounds like we can, just really expensive:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesis_of_noble_metals#Gold

 

[Blackjack200]

It's because those god damn alchemists haven't figured out a thing in 2500 years. Least productive profession ever.

 

[DaveSimmons]

We can, it just takes the blood of 10,000 human beings to power the Philosopher's Stone.

 

[Onceler]

What about gold is "unstable" now? It's very stable, which is one of the reasons it's considered valuable.

I meant we can make unstable isotopes that decay and are radioactive but not stable good old non RA gold

 

[EliteRetard]

We can, it just takes the blood of 10,000 human beings to power the Philosopher's Stone.

+10

 

[uclabachelor]

Maybe by making a heavier element that decays into stable gold but has this been discovered yet?

Looks like you'll have to find a planet full of mercury and drive that into a supernova. Free gold for everyone!

 

[PlasmaBomb]

I meant we can make unstable isotopes that decay and are radioactive but not stable good old non RA gold

Way to go ignore PottedMeat...

Mercury 198 + 6.8MeV gamma ray -> 1 neutron + Mercury 197 (half-life 2.7 days) -> Gold 197 + 1 positron

Mercury 197 is unstable and decays to lovely gold... (what your question asked for).

 

[CycloWizard]

Way to go ignore PottedMeat...

Mercury 198 + 6.8MeV gamma ray -> 1 neutron + Mercury 197 (half-life 2.7 days) -> Gold 197 + 1 positron

Mercury 197 is unstable and decays to lovely gold... (what your question asked for).

I think he was just clarifying for me since I didn't understand what was meant by "stable" in the OP.

 

[Ninjahedge]

We can, it just takes the blood of 10,000 human beings to power the Philosopher's Stone.

It wont work until you yell a lot.

 

[EliteRetard]

Lies!

 

[Lemon law]

The wiki link does much to answer the question. As the age old dreams of Alchenists can be realized by nuclear reactors and particle accelleratots.

But if someone is going to play that game, not only are there much more valuable than gold options to pursue, there are not many nuclear reactions that lead to a end conversion product of chemically stable gold.

 

[Mark R]

I don't know about gold, but fission reactor waste is rich in stable platinoids, and some relatively short-lived isotopes of platinoids, which decay into other stable platinoids within 50 years.

 

[jhu]

I don't understand the question. How are non-radioactive isotopes of gold not stable?

 

[Turtle.Man]

There's no point to making gold when it would cost more than the gold is worth.

 

[Howard]

It's because those god damn alchemists haven't figured out a thing in 2500 years. Least productive profession ever.

You forget something called the Law of Equivalent Exchange.

 

[smangular]

It's because those god damn alchemists haven't figured out a thing in 2500 years. Least productive profession ever.

LOL, true to some degree although Sir Isaac Newton was heavily into Alchemy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton%27s_occult_studies#Newton.27s_alchemical_research_and_writings

 

[cheesehead]

LOL, true to some degree although Sir Isaac Newton was heavily into Alchemy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton%27s_occult_studies#Newton.27s_alchemical_research_and_writings

Didn't he also drink a lot of mercury?