Turning lead into gold?

Question

why did alchemists (medieval scholars) modern day chemists failed into turning lead into gold?

Answer 1

they couldn't generate enough energy (nor did they have the understanding) to produce that particular reaction.

today, we can make gold from lead--but that's undesireable b/c of the high cost...it's "cheaper" to mine the metal.

Answer 2

Modern day chemists didn't fail. Medieval Alchemists failed because they simply never figured out how to do, or had the benefit of modern learning and instruments.

Answer 3

Because you need to remove seven neutrons and three protons from the atomic nucleus of each lead atom to create a gold atom, a process that can't be accomplished with a chemical reaction.

Chemical processes involve electrons, but not the nucleus.