Alchemy: All That Glitters…

Nicolas FlamelYou may have heard his name in Harry Potter, but Nicolas Flamel was a real person. He was born in France in the year 1330 and some believe he possessed the Philosopher’s Stone, which allowed him to succeed at the two goals of alchemy…

Goals of Alchemy

1. The creation of the Elixir of Life, which cured all diseases and prolonged life indefinitely, and

2. The transmutation of common metals into silver and gold.

What Do You Think?Take a moment to answer the following questions in your journal:

• Why would alchemists want to turn metal into gold?

• Do you think any alchemists were successful?

Modern Alchemy

• In lab today, we will transform ordinary pennies into gold!

• It will be your job over the next few classes to perform tests to see how successful the transformation was.

Lab: Penny For Your Thoughts

Lab groups are posted.

Instructions begin on page 11 of your lab books.

Safety Goggles are Required!!

Observation to Record

• Describe what you observed during the experiment.

• What do you think happened to turn the penny silver?

• What do you think happened to turn the penny gold?

Conclusion

1. Explain whether or not gold was produced today.

2. What further experiments might you need to perform to determine if you were successful today?