The sun doesn't "burn" in the way that a piece of charcoal burns. That is a chemical reaction between carbon and oxygen, forming carbon-dioxide and giving off heat in the process.
The sun is a nuclear fusion reactor: Under the immense pressure at the centre of the sun, the hydrogen atoms forming most of the sun and other stars are forced together to form a new element, helium. The mass of one helium atom is a tiny bit less than that of the two hydrogens that went to make it, so where has the mass gone?
Well you might have heard of Einstein's famous equation
E=M times C squared.
This says that if you turn mass into energy, the amount of energy is related to the speed of light, multiplied by itself. That is a huge number, so a tiny bit of mass gives a huge amount of energy. That is the principle of the so-called "Hydrogen Bomb".
In about 5 billion years or so, the sun will run out of hydrogen, and, to cut a long story short, will explode.
2006-07-15 23:38:38
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answer #1
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answered by Paul FB 3
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The solar isn't 'burning' in the way you describe. Combustion is a chemical procedure that relies upon on oxygen. The solar 'burns' hydrogen in a nuclear procedure observed as fusion. Fusion takes position even as 2 Hydrogen atoms lower than large rigidity combine right into a unmarried Helium atom. The ensuing Helium atom has a lot less mass than the unique Hydrogen atoms. the version is switched over to ability in accordance to Einstein's equation E = MC2, the position the flexibility produced is an similar because the version in mass circumstances the speed of sunshine squared. the approach is the different of nuclear fission, the splitting of an atom. This we see in nuclear ability plants and atomic bombs. In both circumstances ability is produced and oxygen isn't required.
2016-12-10 10:19:59
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answer #2
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answered by ? 4
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The sun is powered by, well, there are a few theories. One says it's powered by nuclear fusion not chemical reaction (IE burning). Another says it's acutally part of a cosmic scale electric discharge phenomenon (which would explain the anomalous readings of a cooler inside and the extremely low neutrino counts compared to predictions based on a nuclear fusion model).
But yeah, no burning. Either nuclear fusion (internal to the sun) or electric discharge phenomenon (causing fusion in the sun's corona via a massive electromagnetic field *like physicists do it in the lab*, not in the core of the sun).
2006-07-15 23:33:22
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answer #3
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answered by Michael Gmirkin 3
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The sun isn't made of flaming stuff. What we see is a vast plasma field. Plasma is a superheated gas.
Fire is a chemical reaction, big organic molecules releasing energy as they break down and their hydrogen and carbon combine with oxygen typically.
The sun is a nuclear reaction, fusion, superheated gasses, hydrogen atoms slamming together becoming helium and releasing alpha radiation. Essentially a giant thermonuclear explosion, contained by it's own huge gravitational field.
2006-07-16 04:59:58
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answer #4
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answered by corvis_9 5
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Sun produces the energy by nuclear fusion. It's uncontrolled.
Hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium releasing enormous amount of energy. So no oxygen is needed
2006-07-15 23:34:32
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answer #5
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answered by ashok 1
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Sun is not burning... so there is no question of Oxygen requirement.
Heat evolves through nuclear fusion of Hydrogen to become Helium.....
2006-07-15 23:33:46
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answer #6
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answered by MK 3
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The Sun does not burn. The Sun turns hydrogen into helium and produces light and energy in the process.
2006-07-15 23:37:18
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answer #7
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answered by Eric X 5
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the sun is a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace where hydrogen is built into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees...scientists have found that the sun is a huge atom-smashing machine, the nuclear reactions of the sun are cause by nuclear reactions between hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, and helium
2006-07-15 23:30:31
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answer #8
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answered by hitominojyuunin 2
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Sun doesn't burn.Hydrogen present in sun is undergoing fusion reaction which gives out energy in form of heat & light.Its an uncontrolled atom bomb which will go on till all hydrogen in there completely exhausted.
2006-07-16 03:11:07
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answer #9
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answered by dash 2
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You need to pay more atention in science class. Sun gives off radiant energy, which doesn't need matter to pass through. Burn is a human term that we apply to many things. You can get a sunburn no matter where you are.
2006-07-15 23:32:59
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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