I know all our energy comes from the sun, but where does the sun's energy come from?

Answer 1

fusion of hydrogen and perhaps helium atoms within the sun's core

Answer 2

Every second, the sun, through the process of nuclear fusion, turns approx 400 million tons of hydrogen into helium. Now, the mass of 4 hydrogen atoms is slightly more than the resulting mass of the newly fused helium. The mass is converted into energy. At what rate? That is where Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2 comes in. The energy yielded from the reaction is equal to the mass on the initial atoms under going fusion multiplied by c - or the speed of light [in a vacuum]-- squared. The resulting energy is radiates photons of certain quanta of the electromagnetic spectrum : radio waves, x-rays, and visible light waves - and others. The light waves are the ones that get to us hit your upturned face and you feel as heat.

Answer 3

You have to appreciate the power of the atom when unleashed.

Consider that a few pounds of uranium can light a city. It is nuclear fission that is utilised in nuclear power stations, but nuclear fusion, which is what happens in the sun, is 4 times as energetic. So just imagine how much power is in the sun, a body that is 300,000 times the mass of the Earth.

The sun, in pounds, is a number with about 30 zeroes on the end, so you can understand why it will last billions of more years.

Answer 4

Tham153 tells most of the details. The pressure at the center of the sun (400,000+miles deep of hydrogen gas compressed to an average density of liquid water & much denser at the center) provides the heat energy needed to fuse hydrogen to helium. This mechanism is different than the trigger mechanism in a hydrogen bomb. An atomic bomb is needed to ignite the hydrogen-helium fusion in a nuclear bomb. Every second that goes by, 596million TONS of hydrogen is converted to 592 million TONS of helium inside the sun. The excess 4 million TONS of hydrogen-helium product per second is converted to pure radiant energy according to Einstein's E(energy)=M(mass)C(speed of light)squared equation, & is the same energy released in 10 BILLION 1megaton nuclear weapons exploded per second. This energy can be more readily understood if you thought of 50 nuclear weapons blowing up in every square mile ALL OVER THE EARTH PER SECOND. Fortunately, all this energy is released inside the sun & not on the earth. Over 30,000 years the energy rises from the sun's center to the sun's surface. A small part of the energy radiates to earth & we get life sustaining energy, instead of killing nuclear blasts. Wow! Ain't that something to think about!

Answer 5

As others have said, the Sun is powered by nuclear fusion. It is the same thing that powers thermonuclear weapons. This is not to be confused with less powerful nuclear fission, which is used in all nuclear power plants now operating on Earth.

Answer 6

costly Sir: in the beginning, the word "burning" isn't precisely the final suited word to apply. Burning here on earth includes some components combining with oxygen in one variety or yet another of oxidation. In stars the final public of the gases that are contained are hydrogen and helium. some hint gases are additionally there, yet in a extremely minor proportion of the completed quantity. Now, those extensive balls of gasoline are precisely that; i.e., huge in length. And, the burden of all that gasoline is pressing down onto the middle of the movie star with extreme tension. That extreme tension motives extremely intense stages of heat. Now the sturdy area... extreme warmth blended with extreme tension motives the nuclear fusion of hydrogen gasoline into helium. The nuclear fusion provides off extra extreme warmth and radiation for the duration of a extensive spectrum which is composed of visable mild, X Rays, and Gamma Rays. in the cores of stars, the gases are in a liquid molten state through fact they're under very extreme tension. some propose that on the midsection of the middle of stars the molten gases are notably much steel in nature, something we've by no potential seen here on earth. Stars proceed to polish with mild given off from this nuclear fusion till notably much all the hydrogen gasoline has been converted into helium. At that factor they start cooling off some and enhance in length. This enhance is such that a movie star would enhance in length one hundred to 1000 situations or extra. in the approach, it incinerates and consumes each and every thing everywhere on the factor of it. Our sunlight has been shining brightly for roughly 13 billion years and is anticipated to proceed doing so for yet another 13 billion years. Then this is going to initiate that approach of enhance i discussed above. It occurs that as quickly as you seem into the evening sky with bare eyes you're looking specifically on the celebs in the Milky way Galaxy. a number of those are in the approach of demise. some new ones are being born. This technique is going on indefinitely, and could proceed to accomplish that.

Answer 7

Not all our energy comes from the Sun.

The energy from nuclear power plants comes from ancient supernovas.

This energy also provides the heat that keeps the Earth's core molten.

Answer 8

Fusion of hydrogen and heavy hydrogen into helium, and ultimately into heavier elements, is the fuel that powers the Sun and stars.

Answer 9

The atoms that make up the sun contain energy. When those atoms are split (through fission or fusion) the energy is released.

Answer 10

The nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms.