To the Renaissance alchemist, the reason that turning lead into gold is “hard” is that the problem is misunderstood. The alchemist knows that some substances can be converted into other substances, but doesn’t have a theory that explains which transformations can be accomplished using the techniques available to him, and which cannot. Lead to gold happens to be one of the latter.
To the modern physicist, the reason that turning lead into gold is “hard” is that the machinery needed for knocking some protons off of lead nuclei to make gold nuclei is expensive and doesn’t scale.
What the Renaissance alchemist wanted (bulk transmutation of base metals into gold) remains infeasible, even with modern knowledge and technology. But knowing this requires modern chemistry, physics, and engineering knowledge that the alchemist lacked.
To the Renaissance alchemist, the reason that turning lead into gold is “hard” is that the problem is misunderstood. The alchemist knows that some substances can be converted into other substances, but doesn’t have a theory that explains which transformations can be accomplished using the techniques available to him, and which cannot. Lead to gold happens to be one of the latter.
To the modern physicist, the reason that turning lead into gold is “hard” is that the machinery needed for knocking some protons off of lead nuclei to make gold nuclei is expensive and doesn’t scale.
What the Renaissance alchemist wanted (bulk transmutation of base metals into gold) remains infeasible, even with modern knowledge and technology. But knowing this requires modern chemistry, physics, and engineering knowledge that the alchemist lacked.
So what is a mercury to lead problem?