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The philosopher's stone [a] is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold or silver [b]; it was also known as "the tincture" and "the powder". Alchemists additionally believed that it could be used to make an elixir of life which made possible rejuvenation and immortality .
Chrysopoeia. In alchemy, the term chrysopoeia (from Ancient Greek χρυσοποιία (khrusopoiía) 'gold-making') refers to the artificial production of gold, most commonly by the alleged transmutation of base metals such as lead. A related term is argyropoeia (from Ancient Greek ἀργυροποιία (arguropoiía) 'silver-making ...
Projection was the ultimate goal of Western alchemy. Once the philosopher's stone or powder of projection had been created, the process of projection would be used to transmute a lesser substance into a higher form; often lead into gold. Typically, the process is described as casting a small portion of the Stone into a molten base metal.
[1] [4] [5] [n 1] Common aims were chrysopoeia, the transmutation of "base metals" (e.g., lead) into "noble metals" (particularly gold); [1] the creation of an elixir of immortality; [1] and the creation of panaceas able to cure any disease. [6] The perfection of the human body and soul was thought to result from the alchemical magnum opus ...
The term transmutation dates back to alchemy.Alchemists pursued the philosopher's stone, capable of chrysopoeia – the transformation of base metals into gold. [3] While alchemists often understood chrysopoeia as a metaphor for a mystical or religious process, some practitioners adopted a literal interpretation and tried to make gold through physical experimentation.
The results would have astounded him – the same elements that combined according to von Liebig's method, when combined according to Wöhler's method made two completely different compounds. Wöhler and von Liebig had inadvertently discovered isomerism : the same number of atoms of the same elements combining in different ways to make ...
By refining bases into gold and ingesting the "fake" or synthetic gold as a prepared pill, or jindan (金丹), alchemists believed that immortal life would be delivered. . The idea that fake gold was superior to real gold arose because the alchemists believed the combination of a variety of substances (and the transformation of these substances through roasting or burning) gave the final ...
The term depletion gilding usually refers to the production of a layer of gold. However, it can also be used to produce a layer that is an alloy of gold and silver, sometimes referred to as electrum. Certain chemicals, such as oxalic acid, attack copper but do not affect either silver or gold.