Can we remove a proton from a Hg atom and get a gold atom? If we'd have enough energy, could it be possible to change elements?

Answer 1

Yes it's possible, but what you get is radiactive gold which is a health hazard and can't be sold commercially.

to avoid that you need a nuclear reactor, but what you get is only a small amount and it quickly decays, so you don't have gold anymore.

You can create gold from platinum or lead with particle bombardment but you only get a very small amount and it's not worth the expense.

Sir Issac Newton was, among other things, an alchemist working on how to make gold from lead. It had to be done secretly as the royalty didn't want any competition. If Newton did discover away, he didn't tell anyone