In physics, refraction is the redirection of a wave as it passes from one medium to another. The redirection can be caused by the wave’s change in speed or by a change in the medium. Wikipedia
[Wave to particle]
The Washington Post
Alchemy, By Ruth G. Kassinger, March 10, 1999
In the nucleus of an atom of gold are 79 protons and 79 electrons. Changing one element into another requires changing the number of protons in the nucleus, a very difficult procedure.
Any proton aimed at a nucleus is repulsed by the positive charge of the nucleus. The only way to insert a proton is to sling it with enough energy to overcome that electrical repulsion.
CAPTION: The alchemical doctrine of Two Contraries drew from the ancient philosophy that all nature was composed of opposite forces. In this 16th century illumination, the king and queen symbolize male and female, sun and moon, day and night — all united in one body. The dragon is the unifying factor, and the star represents that one elusive ingredient, the so-called philosopher’s stone, that allowed opposing elements to transmute.
science.jrank.org
Mercury (Element)
Properties Of Mercury, Toxicity
Mercury is a metallic chemical element identified by the symbol Hg on the periodic table. It is silver in color and, unlike other metals, is liquid at room temperature. The ancient name for mercury was quicksilver, meaning “living” silver. This name reflected mercury’s lustrous silver color and its unusually lively behavior: when it is poured onto a smooth surface, it forms beads that roll rapidly around. The element’s modern name comes from Mercury (or Mercurius), the fleet-footed messenger of the gods in Roman mythology.
No one knows exactly when mercury was discovered, but many ancient civilizations were familiar with this element. As long ago as Roman times, people had learned to extract mercury from ore and used it to purify gold and silver. Ore containing gold or silver would be crushed and treated with mercury, which rejects impurities, to form a mercury alloy, called an amalgam. When the amalgam is heated, the mercury vaporizes, leaving pure gold or silver.
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