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sun's energy

Last post 03-08-2006 10:54 AM by Mandy Hagenaar. 2 replies.
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  • 03-08-2006 10:15 AM

    sun's energy

    Cody (BK)

     

    How does the  sun get it's energy, and burn without oxygen?

     

     

     

  • 03-08-2006 10:38 AM In reply to

    • Dawn Myers
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 02-27-2005
    • Goddard Space Flight Center
    • Posts 58

    Re: sun's energy

    Hello Cody

    The core is the innermost section of the Sun. Energy in this part is generated by nuclear reactions. The core has a temperature of 15.6 million Kelvin and a pressure of 250 billion atmospheres. The density of the gases inside the core is 150 times that of water. Thermonuclear fusion is responsible for the Sun's energy output of 386 billion billion megawatts. Thermonuclear fusion is the combination of atomic nuclei at high temperatures to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy. Almost every second 700,000,000 tons of hydrogen is converted to 695,000,000 tons of helium and 5,000,000 tons of energy in the form of gamma rays.

    Dawn
  • 03-08-2006 10:54 AM In reply to

    Re: sun's energy

    I think Dawn anwered all your questions, but I just want to emphasize that the burning of the Sun is not like our burning (a chemical reaction with oxygen), but nuclear reactions in the core.
    Mandy
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