Is Alchemy related to chemistry or are they totally different fields of study?

Question

I figured that because both deal with identifying and cataloging elements from nature that they had a simular goal, after all wasn't quick silver(liquid mercury) discovered by alchemists?

Answer 1

Alchemy and chemistry are related, but their goals are very different. Alchemists sought to uncover fundamental truths about the universe through observing and controlling the behavior of materials. They started with many metaphysical assumptions, and their ultimate purpose was metaphysical. Seeking to change lead into gold, the cliche alchemical endeavor, was originally an effort to turn a base metal - something common and ordinary - into gold, something pure and divine. The lessons thus applied could grant alchemists magical powers over themselves and others through manipulation of the primal forces that were seen to permeate the human soul just as much as material "elements." Only the ignorant and unitiated were after the gold for its buying power.

Chemistry's goal is different. It looks to explain the mechanisms that cause observed properties of materials - why salts dissolve, why wood burns, why Buckeyballs are such good lubricants, whatever. The science of chemistry makes no assumption that studying chemistry will lead to a greater understanding of the universe - of the "mind of God" - like alchemy sought.

The two disciplines are related because diligent alchemists turned "lead" data into "gold" by realizing that they were discovering some of the laws of how materials behave, even though they were failing at translating those discoveries into something more spiritual. A scientific mindset took hold at the dawning of the Enlightenment around 300 years agon, and this mindset combined with the data gleaned from the practice of alchemy to take the field from its metaphysical purpose to its scientific one.

Answer 2

chemistry is an evolution of alchemy,and after that chemistry

has its own place in science as a part of the whole science

structure,alchemy stood like in medieval times,sort of blast from the past.

Answer 3

alchemy is perhaps the field (or subject) that was primitive to modern chemistry as during their quest for a method to convert other elements into gold, people must have carried many experiments and thus the quest would have shifted from gold gradually, as they would have noticed that all their tries are going in vain, and people would also have tried to mix substances just to find out that they form newer substances, thus leading them into a much deeper pursuit for the sole reason of this happening.

Answer 4

Chemistry deals with the current state of atoms and compounds.  Inside the nuclear furnace of the sun, elements are broken down and rebuilt as another element.  That's why we have other elements aside from hydrogen, the most basic element.

Alchemy is really a bogus field that tries to recreate in a 'laboratory' the same thing that is done in the star.

Answer 5

Alchemy was once considered a science.  Issac Newton practiced Alchemy.

It became chemistry about 300 years ago, minus the metaphysical nonsense.

The trasmutation of lead into gold became theoretically possible with the development of nuclear technology, though it's certainly not practical.

Answer 6

Alchemy is formerly, the doctrine, study and practice of the more sublime and difficult parts of chemistry.

Answer 7

Alchemy is the science to find the 'elixir of life.'

Chemistry is something to study chemicals.

Not the same thing.

Answer 8

I asked my buddy Merlin and he says "what's chemistry?"

Alchemy is not a real science. It's what 'wizards' practice and the idea that lead could be turned into gold.

Answer 9

Alchemy was what chemistry was called before they knew what they were doing.