I have been working on the Kentucky Division of Forestry (Forestry Firefighter) for 3 years. They are always talking about how a fire gets started and they all say that a fire needs 3 things to burn....
1Heat
2oxygen
3Fuel (stuff to burn like paper or leaves)
If you take away 1 of the 3, you put out the fire, and it dosen't matter which one.This got me wondering, if there is no oxygen in the solar system, how does the sun burn?
2006-10-07 02:02:40 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The sun is not "burning" in the same sense as 'fire', it is undergoing atomic fusion because of the pressure caused by its own gravitational collapse (because of its mass), which happens to produce enormous amounts of heat as a by-product. There aren't actually any flames on the sun.
And by the way, the room you are in is in the solar system, and it's FULL of oxygen...but I know what you meant!)
2006-10-07 02:09:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question. I've got a good answer!
The core of sun is made up of hydrogen atoms. The temp. of this core is around 1.4 to 2 into 10 rase to 7C. At such a high temp 4 hydrogen atoms fuse together to form 1 Helium atom. This process is called "Nuclear Fusion". But the mass of resultant helium atom is slightly less than 4 hydrogen atoms together. This loss in mass is converted into HEAT & LIGHT energy. As large no of helium nuclei r being formed per second, extremely large amount heat & light energy is produced!!!
that is why we see it burning........It has got nothing to do with oxygen!
2006-10-07 09:32:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Sun is the most prominent feature in our solar system. It is the largest object and contains approximately 98% of the total solar system mass. One hundred and nine Earths would be required to fit across the Sun's disk, and its interior could hold over 1.3 million Earths. The Sun's outer visible layer is called the photosphere and has a temperature of 6,000°C (11,000°F). This layer has a mottled appearance due to the turbulent eruptions of energy at the surface.
Solar energy is created deep within the core of the Sun. It is here that the temperature (15,000,000° C; 27,000,000° F) and pressure (340 billion times Earth's air pressure at sea level) is so intense that nuclear reactions take place. This reaction causes four protons or hydrogen nuclei to fuse together to form one alpha particle or helium nucleus. The alpha particle is about .7 percent less massive than the four protons. The difference in mass is expelled as energy and is carried to the surface of the Sun, through a process known as convection, where it is released as light and heat. Energy generated in the Sun's core takes a million years to reach its surface. Every second 700 million tons of hydrogen are converted into helium ashes. In the process 5 million tons of pure energy is released; therefore, as time goes on the Sun is becoming lighter.
The chromosphere is above the photosphere. Solar energy passes through this region on its way out from the center of the Sun. Faculae and flares arise in the chromosphere. Faculae are bright luminous hydrogen clouds which form above regions where sunspots are about to form. Flares are bright filaments of hot gas emerging from sunspot regions. Sunspots are dark depressions on the photosphere with a typical temperature of 4,000°C (7,000°F).
The corona is the outer part of the Sun's atmosphere. It is in this region that prominences appears. Prominences are immense clouds of glowing gas that erupt from the upper chromosphere. The outer region of the corona stretches far into space and consists of particles traveling slowly away from the Sun. The corona can only be seen during total solar eclipses. (See Solar Eclipse Image).
The Sun appears to have been active for 4.6 billion years and has enough fuel to go on for another five billion years or so. At the end of its life, the Sun will start to fuse helium into heavier elements and begin to swell up, ultimately growing so large that it will swallow the Earth. After a billion years as a red giant, it will suddenly collapse into a white dwarf -- the final end product of a star like ours. It may take a trillion years to cool off completely.
2006-10-07 09:06:23 · answer #3 · answered by kitkatish1962 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There are actually 4 sides to the fire tetrahedron:
1. Fuel
2. Oxygen
3. Heat
4. Chief
Take any of the three away, and you can get the fire under control.
2006-10-10 16:12:31 · answer #4 · answered by Benny 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This won't answer your question but, You need
1) Heat
2) Fuel
3) Oxygen
4) A Chemical reaction
Remove anyone of these and fire goes out.
2006-10-10 19:54:18 · answer #5 · answered by Farmboy45696 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually there is oxygen in the solar system.
2006-10-07 10:08:29 · answer #6 · answered by geohauss 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. I do know that the sun burns because of all the radiation it produces. so maybe that has something to do with it?
2006-10-07 09:06:11 · answer #7 · answered by Dannie 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
sun can burn because it undergoes the process of process of nuclear fission
2006-10-07 12:32:38 · answer #8 · answered by ara 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋