Samuel Chiltern answered
The Sun's energy output is created by a process known as nuclear fusion, which takes place inside its core.
The nuclear fusion that happens within the Sun is a process that converts its abundance of Hydrogen into the heavier element, Helium.
Where Does the Sun's Energy Output Come From?
The Sun converts approximately 600,000,000 tons of hydrogen into helium every second. Energy release is a by-product of this process, and so approximately 4 million tons of heat and light energy is produced every second, as a consequence of this reaction.
A large amount of this output is released into the Solar System, and only a tiny fraction (approximately one percent) actually reaches our planet. Of the energy that does reach us, most is reflected back into space.
The Sun is composed of approximately 75% hydrogen, and 25% helium. As a result of nuclear fusion, the Sun has already consumed almost half of its initial supply of hydrogen, and is currently losing a further 4 billion tons of mass every second.
This means that, one day, it will run out of combustible fuel. The Sun is currently 4.5 billion years old, and it has enough fuel to last for another 5 billion years. After this point, it will explode into a planetary nebula, and engulf the Earth and the other inner planets.
The nuclear fusion that happens within the Sun is a process that converts its abundance of Hydrogen into the heavier element, Helium.
Where Does the Sun's Energy Output Come From?
The Sun converts approximately 600,000,000 tons of hydrogen into helium every second. Energy release is a by-product of this process, and so approximately 4 million tons of heat and light energy is produced every second, as a consequence of this reaction.
A large amount of this output is released into the Solar System, and only a tiny fraction (approximately one percent) actually reaches our planet. Of the energy that does reach us, most is reflected back into space.
The Sun is composed of approximately 75% hydrogen, and 25% helium. As a result of nuclear fusion, the Sun has already consumed almost half of its initial supply of hydrogen, and is currently losing a further 4 billion tons of mass every second.
This means that, one day, it will run out of combustible fuel. The Sun is currently 4.5 billion years old, and it has enough fuel to last for another 5 billion years. After this point, it will explode into a planetary nebula, and engulf the Earth and the other inner planets.
