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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Drusus, post: 309420, member: 6370&quot;]I got this question through my website now twice. It was funny to me at first...of course you cant make gold. I answered that you cant make gold. I was then informed that the person was told elsewhere that there are ways to make gold (I assume the person was talking about alchemy or something). When I answered again saying he was misled, he then asked WHY he couldnt make gold, and if he CANT make gold, how does gold come about in nature?</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>So I thought I would make a thread about it so, if someone is searching for a real answer besides just &#039;no&#039;, they might find it here. This may seem funny to you, but it seems many people do not know WHY one cant brew up a batch of gold in a lab...its not the first time I have seen someone ask where gold comes from.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Gold, and all other metals used for coins, does not come about on earth by a natural processes. It is here in a finite amount from the beginning of earths formation like all other metals. The conditions do not exist on earth to create gold, silver, Iron, nickel, platinum, copper and zinc. These metals are elements, molecules that can be combines and broken down. On the Periodic table of elements they are all classified as &#039;transition elements&#039;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Just as a quick explanation. There are, I think, 118 elements on the chart, Iron and nickel being 26 and 28 respectively, Gold down at 79 and platinum at 78. The numbers given to an element on the chart refers to how many protons are present in one atom of this element...generally speaking all elements have a proton count and a neutron count (as well as an electron count)...all except hydrogen, the most abundant element which does not have a neutron, just a proton and electron. The combination and number of proton, electrons and neutrons give the atom its properties.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Elements are created in a stars, one of the few places in the universe where conditions exist naturally to turn one elements into another. Most of a star is made up of Hydrogen which is considered a primal element created in the big bang...this might be just theory as to how hydrogen comes about but the fact of the matter is, it is the most basic element followed by Helium and from it comes all other elements. The conditions in a star are such that hydrogen will react and bond through fission creating other elements down the chart like helium all the way to Iron.</p><p><br /></p><p>It is postulated that as a star burns and its elements combine taking on more neutrons and protons getting heavier, the end result is atoms getting heavier and heavier until you have iron and nickel...two of the more abundant metals. They are the final process of what is called Stellar Neucleosynthesis.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This is why iron and nickel are so abundant in meteorites. When a star gets to this stage, its mass become so great that it collapses and this results in a reaction even greater, a super nova. From a super nova atoms again react and combine and you get the higher element past nickel and iron like silver and gold....all element past iron and nickel are thought to come about in supernovas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A good bit of these elements can be found in the human body, here is a chart that tells what elements are in the human body if you were to break down your body into its elemental components:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Oxygen 65</p><p>Carbon 18</p><p>Hydrogen 10</p><p>Nitrogen 3</p><p>Calcium 1.5</p><p>Phosphorus 1.2</p><p>Potassium 0.2</p><p>Sulfur 0.2</p><p>Chlorine 0.2</p><p>Sodium 0.1</p><p>Magnesium 0.05</p><p>Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Zinc, Iodine &lt;0.05 each</p><p>Selenium, Fluorine &lt;0.01 each</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>for a full listing go here:</p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_makeup_of_the_human_body" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_makeup_of_the_human_body" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_makeup_of_the_human_body</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>here are the most abundant elements in the universe:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hydrogen</p><p>Helium</p><p>Oxygen</p><p>Carbon</p><p>Neon</p><p>Iron</p><p>Nitrogen</p><p>Silicon</p><p>Magnesium</p><p>Sulfur</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Of the elements, the more rare are those created in a super nova...and among those are what we call precious metals...they are all past iron in the list and come about in more extreme conditions.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>So in essence...you cant and probably never will (never say never I guess) be able to set up some beakers, mix some chemicals and turn iron into gold. Its just not how the process works. You need fast moving atoms colliding with each other, going through a process of fission and fusion for iron to take on more protons, electrons, and neutrons....</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This also is why Gold is more valuable than iron. There is far less gold than iron by nature...same with silver, copper, etc...each element has its unique combination of properties that dictate how it will react with other elements, some far more stable than other, like iron will react with oxygen very easily while gold will not.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>There is only a finite amount of these elements on earth as they do not come about here but have existed here since the earth was formed...when we have found all the gold on earth...thats it. This ties in a bit to my cleaning coins ramble as knowing what you are cleaning is an element, knowing what that element does and doesnt react or bond with helps to know how one can proceed and what might cause certain discolorations and corrosion.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>So remember, the gold in your gold coin was created in a super nova, traveled to earth long ago, someone found it, and minted a pretty picture on it...all our coins originated in a star far away.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I know probably a lot of you know all this...but I just thought I would post it as it IS a question I have been asked in the past, and once just recently.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If I have made nay errors or you have something to add, feel free...this thread can be searched, found, and a person can find all the information they need on this issue in one stop. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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