Can't Make Steel By Transmuting Atoms: Betting $20 On It!

[bayan]

Me mate says that that you can make Steal from mixing Carbon atom and Oxygen (Transmution) Basicly stuffing arround with nuclues. As far as I can remember you can't touch the nuclues as the EM forces are too strong.

How wrong is he? We made a bet of $20

 

[The Bob]

Me mate says that that you can make Steal from mixing Carbon atom and Oxygen (Transmution) Basicly stuffing arround with nuclues. As far as I can remember you can't touch the nuclues as the EM forces are too strong.

How wrong is he? We made a bet of $20

First I think it is safe to assume you mean steel (an alloy containing mainly iron).

Transmutation could be used to create new elements (via nuclear fission). It would need a nuclear reactor. However, this would be reducing the size of the atom (so carbon-12 to two smaller elements).

I have heard of making larger elements with smaller ones but I can only assume that only (relatively) small elements can be made by fission. Steel, anyway, is an alloy and it would take a lot of carbon and oxygen to make the iron and other elements needed (unless, of course, carbon was one of the elements needed).

As far as I can see you need to split the money or ask someone else in these forums.

The Bob (2004 ©)

P.S. Could someone correct my knowledge of fission and fusion in modern day reactors if what I have said is incorrect. Thanks.