NextPrevious

Physics and Chemistry

Chemical Elements

What were the two main aims of alchemy?

The main aim of alchemy, the early study of chemical reactions, was the transmutation (or transformation) of common elements into gold. Needless to say, all attempts to change a substance into gold were unsuccessful. A second aim of alchemy was to discover an elixir or universal remedy that would promote everlasting life. Again, this pursuit was unsuccessful.



Close

This is a web preview of the "The Handy Science Answer Book" app. Many features only work on your mobile device. If you like what you see, we hope you will consider buying. Get the App