Turning lead into gold (lead iodide)

Ok, so today I'm going to try to turn some lead into gold. The first step is to get a few pieces of
lead, and to add some dilute nitric acid. What I have to do next is get a beaker, and add some boiling water, and a small amount of potassium iodide. This all dissolves really quickly, and on top of
this, I'll add a bit of vinegar, and that little lead solution from before. Now all I need to do
is turn off the stirring, and basically just wait.
Ingredients:
1) 0.5g lead metal + 50:50 nitric acid:water
2) 500mL water, 1g potassium iodide, 5% vinegar
3) Profit?
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Nile talks about lab safety (Chemistry is Dangerous): • Chemistry is dangerous.

[@Justin-gv3lp]

All you need is a philosopher’s stone

[@thesublime7539]

I see. An fma fan.

[@user-cj4fu8qq9b]

next video: i made the philosopher's stone

[@nighto8933]

@@user-cj4fu8qq9b well, lol he have to be a serial killer to make that

[@Aredtyg]

@@thesublime7539 The philosopher's stone is very much not limited to full metal alchemist. It is a thing in the "real" alchemy that people used to practice

[@jamesoliver9278]

Seriously, it's like this guy knows nothing about science or alchemy. Smh my head.

[@MusicSounds]

ah yes, alchemy

[@XalphYT]

A user named *MusicSounds* includes a musical note in the name? Seems legit, bro.

[@midlowreborn]

yeah lol i can confirm. when you upload stuff to a music distributor youtube lets you make an artist channel where you can upload stuff yourself

[@cullen36]

@@ChicoDaChina It's an artist channel, not a fake verification mark

[@Penultimate1785]

Aww your account looks cute! :)

[@Amplifimusic]

Official artist channel gang lmao

[@lancemannly]

Fun fact, its perfectly possible to transmute metals into gold, namely mercury and platinum. Synthesizing gold by irradiating mercury via neutron bombardment was first done in 1941. It can also be done in a particle accelerator The only problem is the gold is a radioactive sludge and the process is exponentially more expensive than the gold is worth. But *technically* the alchemist's goal of chrysopoeia has finally been achieved

[@lucasthech]

actually transforming anything into anything is possible, you just need to have the ability to remove and add protons to atoms

[@OmniversalInsect]

@@lucasthech thats what I was thinking as well, maybe in the far future there will be some technology that can create whatever atom you need from other atoms

[@lucasthech]

@@OmniversalInsect we already can remove them, but it's almost impossible to make a proton enter an atom's nucleus, and most of the time the removed protons just become a hydrogen atom

[@forage9286]

Well this is a conversation I don't understand cool guys keep it up you are smart!

[@GreenGino]

The real problem is creating gold that's not putting off radiation without waiting decades and even then it would only produce small amounts of gold.

[@guilhermebraga9773]

Imagine showing this to the Greco-Romans of old, or even Egyptians of ages ago... even to the medieval Europeans of a much, much later period, they would all be in total and absolute awe before this, as the capacity to change metal into gold was such a legend for them...

[@DefaultSeaTurtle]

From what we know about how they practiced alchemy, they likely used a similar process. Every so often you get an alchemist who thought they turned lead into gold when in reality they just made a gold-colored substance (like in the video, nitric acid was a staple of most alchemy labs). More often, you'd have a salesman who was aware of the difference peddle it off as the real deal.

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

Why do you think they would have gave a shit? Do you think they were so stupid they didn’t know how to tell the difference between gold and some worthless material that looks shiny?

[@parkerwebb7378]

@@BoxStudioExecutive well… the Spanish did ignore and even dump thousands of tons of platinum into the ocean on the simple basis that it’s not gold. Soooo, I think they were pretty dumb

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

@@parkerwebb7378 platinum was unknown, useless and worthless back then to everyone outside of the Americas (who only ascribed ornamental value to it) so by relying on this as an example, you’re the one who is “pretty dumb”

[@parkerwebb7378]

@@BoxStudioExecutive ahh yes. Platinum is completely useless and all the adjectives you have used also apply to the gold that the conquistadors sought. The two metals of gold and platinum are incredibly similar in nature. Also now adays platinum is worth more than gold, so to throw millions of dollars worth of this precious material into the irretrievable ocean does in fact make my example valid.

[@lukas97671]

I’m fairly sure chemists keep the coffee filter market afloat Edit: It’s incredible how many people didn’t get that this is a joke. Clearly coffee filters are mainly used by coffee drinkers

[@irefusestudios8075]

As in 11037?

[@LuminalSpoon]

And Matt D'Avella

[@NickiRusin]

chemists and programmers

[@whodis9225]

To be fair at this point when you are doing chemistry and its goin through that its not a coffee filter its just a filter

[@realdka13]

Pretty sure coffee drinkers are keeping the coffee filter market afloat. 90% of people drink coffee lol

[@Xavier-gl3cj]

"Even though it is Lead Iodide it looks like gold" *Proceeds to sprinkle it over his dessert as edible gold flakes*

[@somethinginthewalls388]

delicious heavy metal

[@sparkdaniel]

That is so evil

[@danielclasen809]

jummy

[@jatsstar]

But what if tho.....

[@mdmust4u]

just for safety lead is a poisonous metal and should not be ingested, please clarify this in an edit :) (sorry to ruin the joke)

[@Nikolapoleon]

As a historian, this raises a lot of questions. How long have people known how to do this? How long have people understood what "lead iodide" is? Has anyone, in ancient history, learned how to do this before? What did they do with that knowledge?

[@sandrosaladze8095]

I'm asking the same question! I need answers

[@ithrangroenen1787]

I can't really say anything abouth whether someone found this out by chance in history. I suppose it's not impossibe considering the materials used would be reasonably available. That being said, without modern chemistry, this would be very hard to actually understand. That is, to be able to predict what might happen if you try this or that beyond direct experience. For a reference point on that: the periodic table -arguably the most important 'tool' of chemistry- was invented in 1869.

[@Nikolapoleon]

@@ithrangroenen1787 I could just try to look this up, I suppose, but sometimes it's fun just to speculate. I have found, as a general rule, that ancient science is more sophisticated then we tend to imagine. It has massive holes in its overall logic, but other than that, it has the ability to achieve considerable depth. All that is to say that, while the ancient alchemist in question couldn't possible understand the chemistry behind what he was doing, I believe that it would be very possible indeed for him to salvage materials that have the necessary chemical components to achieve this reaction.

[@ithrangroenen1787]

@@Nikolapoleon I'd imagine they would probably have been able to predict that the process would yield some solid, but they would have no way to know what it would look like. That's late 20th century chemistry.

[@tranquilmagister8481]

You must be the fun one at parties

[@Xizilqou]

This guy is inching closer and closer to full on alchemy

[@skynet3]

Six months later he maxed out alchemy and then became a mage

[@rodrigokuszek]

I cannot believe how cute that tiny flask is

[@microcosmos1864]

Exactly my thought!

[@pietrovilla15]

Flsk

[@tonho91]

It's not cuter than @NileRed though

[@guromarv]

@@tonho91 😳

[@monroerobbins7551]

It’s Nile’s equivalent to the tiny whisk Binging with Babish has.

[@shyammaisuria3946]

I'm convinced that chemistry is just alchemy but knowing what you're doing

[@ZentaBon]

I'm pretty sure that's what it is too

[@mgord9518]

That's literally what it is "Magic" is just science without explanation

[@nathanpalinkas5454]

Literally historically true

[@user-wb1nw8zy8w]

.Islam is the religion of truth, so whoever wants to search for the truth, I advise you to follow Dr. Zakir Naik, I love you all 🍃.🕊…… انصحكم تابعو الدكتور عدنان ابراهيم..

[@Marx_D._Soul]

Alchemy is the predecessor to chemistry, yes.

[@bleedingbloodyfork]

1:13 PLOT TWIST: it was actually sniper's piss.

[@morshoe]

Maybe this is how alchemists supposedly “turned lead into gold” very neat experiment

[@Totalinternalreflection]

The alchemist that discovered this had their hopes raised all the way to the sky I’m sure.

[@TylerInTraining]

Liking for the profile pic.

[@YokoX23]

Probably had some rich king drink this for immortality before he promptly died

[@Acroflame]

@@user-wb1nw8zy8w ok so you just blatantly put a religious comment but considering it happens way more with Christianity I’ll let it slide for you this one time but I’ve got my eye on you

[@NosBos-7-11]

Yes, I did, and was firmly disappointed.

[@morgellon9449]

@@user-wb1nw8zy8w ! Also, it's weird if you try to reply to this dude. Try it! P'shyeah, maybe Sufism, but Islam in general? P'shyeah.

[@Ironmat98]

This dude should be a chemistry teacher! The kids will love him!

[@ooooneeee]

The school board would hate him.

[@Jacxdy]

Hes chemistry teacher

[@kylecope7554]

@@Jacxdy shut up

[@TylerInTraining]

@truthly troll bot 2.1.🤖😛 And that's exactly why he SHOULD be a teacher. You want people that are able to have fun and push boundaries since those are the teachers that kids remember, for better or worse. haha

[@docilecrocodile5981]

well that'll take a teaching degree, which requires going back to uni

[@DaniPaunov]

Not gonna lie, with how crazy some of your projects get, I wouldn't have been surprised at all if you actually made gold from lead

[@flamingpi2245]

Unless he gets a particle accelerator I don’t think that’s happening

[@ShadowOfWarfare]

How has it taken me THIS long to see that 0:40 written on the beaker is "NileRed"?

[@viditsinha7865]

Nile Doesn't yeet the product to wall Me: unbelievable

[@soIzec]

So uncivilized

[@yukan6089]

My Disappointment is immeasurable And my day is ruined

[@viditsinha7865]

@@yukan6089 😂😂 It should be 'immeasurable' instead of 'unmeasurable'

[@yukan6089]

@@viditsinha7865 ma bad 🤣

[@chemicalreactionworld4241]

Unbelievable.. Lol

[@reubenvanwyk6570]

He said " and then i lead it dry" bruh didnt know this man had puns

[@ashketchum6337]

You should watch his out of context videos

[@mmert138]

He's always been a memelord actually.

[@sleepful1917]

no he didn't

[@sleepful1917]

that's just how he talks bro

[@sleepful1917]

do you say let like leT not just like ledt

[@chickenniggets9290]

NileRed's GF-"Can you buy me some jewellery?" NileRed-"How about I give you some Lead Iodide?"

[@dfquartzidn6151]

That reaction where it looks like the gold was raining is beautiful!

[@Tactix_se]

0:05 this is the most adorable flask I’ve ever seen.

[@el8964]

The anticipation for destruction when he stop talking is real

[@sathvikmalgikar2842]

Yeah same here lol

[@user-wb1nw8zy8w]

.Islam is the religion of truth, so whoever wants to search for the truth, I advise you to follow Dr. Zakir Naik, I love you all 🍃.🕊…… انصحكم تابعو الدكتور عدنان ابراهيم..

[@schwarzesfleisch5809]

@@user-wb1nw8zy8w what for did you write this

[@juanvaldivia8001]

I can't help but imagine an alchemist tricking a king into believing they turned lead into gold with this

[@1nsertusername]

I remember doing this experiment in school and it had the glitter like specs after a while , it was so cool

[@Bladavia]

Nile : I'm going to turn lead into gold me : oh yeah, where's your particle accelerator ?

[@helpabrothawithasubisaiah5316]

Nile: ask yo memaw

[@user-wb1nw8zy8w]

.Islam is the religion of truth, so whoever wants to search for the truth, I advise you to follow Dr. Zakir Naik, I love you all 🍃.🕊…… انصحكم تابعو الدكتور عدنان ابراهيم..

[@GarryDumblowski]

Well, this sure is a comment section.

[@johnladuke6475]

@@GarryDumblowski I guess this is what happens when you teach alchemy. I say we burn him as a witch.

[@waltercomunello121]

Look after a Kilonova explosion.

[@DrSTONE-nk7cd]

Edward elric and Nile would become very good friends if they meet one day

[@DrSTONE-nk7cd]

@@epsi lol, i didn't realise it 😅

[@zaytaz9331]

yeah, with NileRed's yeeting things to the wall syndrome

[@etiennevanier]

Edddddwaaaard.

[@servinginhellaimingforheav2446]

Henry explaining why after he read one book he can cure all deseases -1409 colorized

[@bleu_fyre]

this is the origin story behind the Alchemist 0-0-3 Lead to Gold upgrade in BTD6

[@user-bo9of4ir2j]

Man making and researching with you is so fun!

[@simzyboi8551]

Imagine an alchemist coming across this way back when they would be flipping there shit lmao

[@ciarangale4738]

i have something of a hunch that at some point, somebody probably accomplished this somwhere, giving rise to the legends

[@z_6077]

Tell that to Newton lol

[@HEGUYTHEMIGHTY]

@@ciarangale4738 and people spent centuries trying to do it again lol

[@CraftQueenJr]

People did it a bunch. It was a fairly common chemical used for various things historically. They could prove they hadn’t managed it quite easily.

[@Tylarus]

See this is why I wanna be a chemist

[@loganswepston8978]

*makes cocaine*

[@quill7889]

*makes meth*

[@rainessandrai8240]

This isn't chemistry. This is alchemy and all they way different thing.

[@bobjeff3863]

@@quill7889 *copied the idea of another comment and in doing so makes himself a saddo*

[@BL-xz3ym]

@@rainessandrai8240 This isn’t alchemy, he’s not actually making gold. Even if he were making gold using modern physical/chemical methods like particle accelerators, it would still be chemistry. Alchemy is to chemistry what astrology is to astronomy. The act of transmuting elements is not what defines alchemy, it’s the almost religious obsessions driving the desire to transmute and do a lot of other strange experiments. Gold doesn’t tarnish, so they saw it as unaging, thus immortal, and thought they could unlock the secrets to immortality if they could transmute to gold.

[@jihrexz666]

Nile : it takes a lot of time Alquemist (btd6) : 0.01 seconds take it or leave it

[@KarX211]

Medieval alchemists would've flipped their shit if they had discovered something like that

[@thehyperscientist1961]

Such a classic experiment! I remember doing this experiment with my friends during our school's science fair a long time ago. We called it 'Lead Gold'. Lead(II) iodide just never gets old

[@oni8337]

"Gets OLD" haha i see what you did there

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

Plumbous iodide if you wanna be a cool kid

[@ThePlayfarer]

Now that's some Equivalent Exchange right there,

[@ishredder4006]

Middle ages Kings " Alchemy... this is Alchemy before my very eyes".

[@luckylmj]

honestly, this might be the place where the idea of turning lead into gold came from. someone probably just did this accidentally at some point and forgot how to do it

[@supreme_leader_of_the_internet]

you can actualy turn lead into gold but you need alot of radiation

[@kayragur3542]

Not a lot of radiation you need neutrons For that you need a precise amount of a precise metal isotopes Then you will shoot the metal isotope with neutrons if you are lucky the metal will be transmutated gold… Right after it got extremly hot and radiated alpha and beta particles

[@YelMalanta]

@@kayragur3542 so basically it is very easy to do and something i can do at home?? cool!!!

[@kayragur3542]

@@YelMalanta if you want gold get gold its easier than setting up a nuclear physics lab

[@praneel5920]

@@YelMalanta Sure

[@gemhunter498]

Or you could go borrow a star. Those things make gold, if they're big enough.

[@digital_pocket_watch]

Ah, yes, the forbidden corn flakes

[@helpabrothawithasubisaiah5316]

They are not forbidden lol, everything is edible at least once

[@digital_pocket_watch]

@@helpabrothawithasubisaiah5316 Do you wanna live? Then I don't suggest ingesting them.

[@helpabrothawithasubisaiah5316]

@@digital_pocket_watch but you won't die, not instantly at least

[@digital_pocket_watch]

@@helpabrothawithasubisaiah5316 I mean, I had lead poisoning when I was really little, so I guess, but I'm not taking the risk

[@johnladuke6475]

The best flavour of chips is paint.

[@Rebateman]

Thanks for the help with the bloon war!

[@arajjigyasu1019]

This guy is making chemistry seem easy and exciting!!

[@mrdoh450]

9:34am google search: how to turn lead to gold 9:37am google search: how to escape fbi

[@bensmart2829]

I absolutely love how small that flask is

[@verlorenercarl-account717]

Google a 1ml beaker. You are welcome.

[@MSDOSMemes]

your videos make me happy

[@paulstransportandmore]

LOVE IT!

[@ayushchaudhary4360]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we did it, we found a modern day alchemist

[@max903br3]

Now i finally can get a 0-0-3 alchemist monkey

[@andreymatthewsolis9650]

I really love this chemistry video!!!

[@Incognito-uc9ts]

Science teacher after seeing this *STONKS*

[@justineoldersong0923]

I love the golden particles just suspended in the solution, they're just look magnificent ✨✨

[@harsharya545]

This was the first experiment I conducted myself. My father is a chemistry teacher. Just flexing

[@mematron]

I was 4 years old and my father had taught me how to read and gave me his college chemistry book. My first experiment was making sulfuric acid.

[@bl.edxardo]

@@mematron can you make meth

[@mitaskeledzija6269]

@@bl.edxardo methanol?

[@bl.edxardo]

@@mitaskeledzija6269 methamphetamine

[@johnlayfield9778]

your videos are awesome

[@CHEESYhairyGASH]

This channel is amazing.

[@chiraggupta1327]

I clicked on it thinking of real gold. LOL

[@Milky_mans]

Aw man is his name al? Because now he’s become an alchemist.

[@LeahHime]

is this where the idea that in science fiction that you can transmogrify lead into gold comes from?

[@tricky778]

I bet the first alchemist to try this thought he'd hit the jackpot

[@PhoenixFlight8D]

Hes slowly turning from a chemist to an alchemist and im all for it

[@aoarashi3025]

That tiny flask is so adorable!

[@dibsImp]

Remember being fascinated by this reaction in high school Chemistry lab bringing it back home to show people, lol

[@DerekSmit]

Hey Niles I love your shorts. First time I said that to another man. Anyway hope you have some longer projects coming up!

[@kaptenkukang]

Ok, try this recipe to make a human being - oxygen 43kg - carbon 16kg - hydrogen 7kg - nitrogen 1.8kg - calcium 1kg - phosphorus 0.78kg - potassium 0.14kg - sulphur 0.14kg - sodium 0.10kg - chlorine 0.095kg - magnesium 0.019kg - a soul

[@westie430]

😂😂 *a soul*

[@shivangpandey8888]

Hi neils red, I'm a chemistry student and also teach high school students. Your experiments are absolutely amazing and can help students to reduce their fear of chemistry. I would like to use few of your clips in my video lectures on youtube. Can you allow me for that...???

[@ThomasTheThermonuclearBomb]

You don't his permission to use his videos for teaching hs, i'm sure he'd be happy to learn you're using it

[@lordbeansofmemes]

This man is literally an alchemist

[@ostodreel1418]

That is where the myth about turning lead into gold started.

[@chikku_007.]

Ahhh it was magical seeing this in our chemistry lab in my 12th grade 😌

[@crabmtg9179]

ALCHEMY IS REAL!!!

[@Didagg]

This really is a btd6 moment

[@Coco-Loco]

That smol flask is so cute!

[@XVIIstarPt_]

Explosions&Fire at 1:05: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@KingOfTheUnderdogs]

Ah yes, that yellow liquid known as "gold rain" aka "golden shower".

[@ras.51]

Normal people: Buys gold casually Nilered: *CHEMICALS GO BRRRRRRrrrr*

[@EricTheOld]

It looks really pretty

[@melanisticsoldier5816]

1:24 I just wanna throw a fish in there and give it the photoshoot of it’s life

[@dewilew2137]

This looks like something that would have been used in cosmetics back when no one knew any better.

[@abharoy1389]

This is so cool

[@benjiunofficial]

Secret lore: it actually is gold, and he's hiding the secret of the Art in plain sight.

[@ray80082]

So, just out of curiosity since I know very little about chemistry, having only taken it in like 10th grade which was like 4 years ago, could you melt down the flakes and mold them into a shape? Or are they only really capable of staying in the form of flakes without breathing apart into some other compound?

[@rusirusathkalana7355]

well what he made is lead iodide, a salt not real gold which is a metal. if he melt and let it cool it would still make fragile crystals/flakes.

[@PuneetMhajan]

Hey man, don't give scammers new ways to fool people 😂

[@johnladuke6475]

Don't worry, the king employs a witchfinder and those scammers will be burned at the stake before they can use their devilry to fleece the innocent.

[@PuneetMhajan]

@@johnladuke6475 Noice

[@GarryDumblowski]

I can't get over how adorable that flask at the beginning was.

[@amazing_svp_all]

This makes all the ancient scientists happy that someone turned lead into gold

[@andie_pants]

Ok, so here's my luddite question: Is it plausible (if not feasible) to use particle accelterator ion collision fuckery to legit turn lead into gold?

[@TheExalaber]

Yes, but it is very difficult

[@TheSpooniest]

Yes. It's not even remotely economically feasible, but the steps have been worked out, and I think one person actually *did* it for the bragging rights.

[@catgirl-real]

You can turn various elements, including lead, into gold through nuclear fission, but the energy and danger involved in this process makes it not even remotely worthwhile.

[@gemhunter498]

If you find the right star, those make gold from lead.

[@MyHandleIsGood]

Theoretically you could use a very extreme event such as a supernova to create gold.

[@marisakirisameme7101]

1:37 I want to eat it

[@bobbobber4810]

Yeah.... but it is still lead. Ingesting it will cause lead poisoning. It's dust is also carcinogen.

[@rehmanahmed5480]

His experiments are so interesting

[@jma331982]

Also the water whirlpool part was pretty cool

[@captainvictoria7640]

0:33 Looks like some yummy apple juice

[@hawksfansam8127]

Every shady person watching just thought to themselves “Ooh! I could rip off so many people with this!”

[@mitaskeledzija6269]

Its brittle doe

[@johnladuke6475]

Get me the king, I'll demonstrate for the whole court.

[@darkvoltanis7090]

Gosh darn it, I was about to start my own gold mine at home xD Well cool video

[@Zahed0_o]

I love how Nile talks like he is confused lol

[@aramisdagaz9]

Okay, it's not actually gold, but how different are lead iodide's physical properties? Can you make a convincing coin out of it? Will it crumble into pieces with the lightest touch? Is it any more dangerous than plain lead? We may not be able to turn lead into gold, but we might be able to do the next best thing: counterfeiting through chemistry.

[@rays3995]

The Chinese already do that plated

[@arianaeilish6169]

I dont think I've ever been this early lol

[@_uchihaitachi._07]

My younger brother: I'm gonna bribe my teacher with that

[@random_camper7802]

Where have I seen this red spoon b4?😂 poor spoon;) Love ur vids Nile, it gets me interested in chem so much

[@vanle6611]

The alchemist

[@pixeldemon6173]

As above, so below. As within, so without. As the universe, so the soul.

[@rani1511]

Yes... This is what the beauty of chemistry... This golden spangles test is used to find the presence of iodine... It remains me my practical exams... Thank you...

[@CragynosII]

You CAN turn lead into gold. You just need a few particle accelerators and a lot of patience.

[@YousefYousef-wd9kf]

0:56 tornadooooo

[@kenshiromilesvt.7037]

Does this comply with the law of equivalent exchange?

[@zaytaz9331]

Maybe, maybe not, but nothing took any of his body parts away soooooooo It complied

[@LoniTheFricc]

If I recall correctly, alchemists can transmutate gold, it's just that it's made illegal because it would shatter the economy. If equivalent exchange is based on the value of the object, then yeah, it is breaking it lol

[@thepurrfectcat]

I had taken out my note pad to quickly take notes.

[@YellowCyanXY]

*STONKS*