Transmutation
The conversion of one element into another through a change in the number of protons in the nucleus.
Formula / equation
¹⁴N + ⁴He → ¹⁷O + ¹H
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Transmutation occurs naturally in radioactive decay and can be induced by bombarding nuclei with particles. Rutherford achieved the first artificial transmutation in 1919, accomplishing the alchemists' goal by means they could never have imagined.
Examples in the real world
Rutherford converting nitrogen into oxygen with alpha particles; mercury has been converted to gold in reactors.