Define: The goal of Alchemy is to find "a means of indefinitely prolonging human life." It started out around the same time in Ancient Egypt and China. The idea of this science is that you can turn any common metal into silver or gold. Other common metals were thought to be less "perfect" than gold. This science preceded chemestry. The philosopher’s stone is a stone believed to function as a catalyst for transforming common metals into gold. Its suspected to be a more "perfect" than gold. The idea "that all things are composed of air, earth, fire, and water" is a huge part of alchemy.
Examples:
Air was considered to be one of the four classical elements in alchemy.
Earth was one of the four classic alchemical elements.
Fire was one of the classical alchemical elements.
Alchemy
Define: The goal of Alchemy is to find "a means of indefinitely prolonging human life." It started out around the same time in Ancient Egypt and China. The idea of this science is that you can turn any common metal into silver or gold. Other common metals were thought to be less "perfect" than gold. This science preceded chemestry. The philosopher’s stone is a stone believed to function as a catalyst for transforming common metals into gold. Its suspected to be a more "perfect" than gold. The idea "that all things are composed of air, earth, fire, and water" is a huge part of alchemy.
Examples:
Sources:
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561083/Alchemy.html
http://chemistry.about.com/od/periodictableelements/ig/Alchemy-Symbols/