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Alchemy, in Full Metal Alchemist, is based on the concept of 'one needs to
provide materials of equal value compared to the thing one want to create'
(equivalent exchange).

But, how does it exactly work. Can this amount of required materials be
calculated by the alchemist? If so, how? Are there some sort of lookup-tables?

Or does one need to guess and provides something of more value to be on the
safe side? If so, can one become a more skilled alchemist by experience of
successful guesses?

Also, different alchemists might have different specialized skills. How does
that work? For the guessing part, I can imagine that one have a preference for
certain kinds of alchemy and thus gain experience with a specialized skill.

**Edit** : [Madara Uchiha](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/106/51)'s answer
suggests that there are always materials required. I was also wondering about
the situation where this is not the case and the alchemist was successful none
the less.

For example:

> In the end Edward trades his alchemy skill in exchange for returning
> Alphonse's body to him.


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fullmetal-alchemist-series
How does the equivalent exchange of alchemy work?


Alchemy has three stages: _Understanding_ , _Break down_ , _Rebuild_.

Different alchemists have different specializations because of the
_Understanding_ part, learning chemistry in general isn't easy, and digging
into a specific subject (For instance, the study of the atmosphere and oxygen
in Roy Mustang's case), is even harder, hence specialization.

Matter of "equal value" means of equal "type" (Mineral to mineral, organism to
organism, you can't turn stone into a flower), and of equal **Mass**.

This works well in accordance to the physical laws of matter and energy
conservation. You cannot make matter _disappear_ , nor you can make it _appear
out of nothing_. You can't input more matter to be on the safe side, that
matter won't be used for the alchemic transmutation (at best), or result in a
rebound (at worse).


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That's why alchemists study so long, and National Alchemist even more. There
are lots of books explaining how to do It properly, how to calculate the
amounts, the type of materials, the decomjposition of things and so on.

They aim to use exactly what they need, not more, not less, so they work to
fine-tune, to _understand_ how things are made, how things work, and then
replicate them as they wish.


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