2007-01-24 23:48:14 · 9 answers · asked by Joe K 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The sun is a huge ball of gas approx. 1.5million km in diameter, which is approx.100 times the diameter of the earth. It is a huge nuclear fussion reactor made up of 90% hydrogen. Because of the high pressures and temperatures, hydrogen is squeezed into Helium with a loss of 0.7% of mass. According to Einstein, E=mcsquared, so traveling along the equation from right to left, even the loss of such a small amount of matter leads to the release of an enormous amount of enengy as the mass is converted into energy by a factor of the speed of light squared which is a huge number. This is the process by which our solar system gets it's energy. Hydrogen is used up a a rate of 700 billion tons each day, the mass of the sun is 2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons so it will be around for a while yet.
In the later stages of the sun's life, around 3-4 billion years time, the sun, as well as producing energy, will be slowly producing all the other elements known in the universe as the temperatures and pressures increase. Finally the sun will become a "black hole".
2007-01-25 00:51:31 · answer #1 · answered by odessy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. The Earth and other matter (including other planets, asteroids, meteoroids, comets and dust) orbit the Sun, which by itself accounts for more than 99% of the solar system's mass. Energy from the Sun—in the form of insolation from sunlight—supports almost all life on Earth via photosynthesis, and drives the Earth's climate and weather.
2007-01-25 08:03:36 · answer #2 · answered by oleg_arch 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun is simply a ball of gas that burns and burns and provides the earth and other planets with heat and light.
2007-01-25 09:57:25 · answer #3 · answered by Brownie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun is simply a star that we happen to live in the neighborhood of.
2007-01-25 07:58:16 · answer #4 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sun is the source of energy for all the things that happens on the earth...... well this is also true....
2007-01-25 08:54:47 · answer #5 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A newspaper in England with topless women on page 3 [Great!]
2007-01-25 07:53:47 · answer #6 · answered by gareth_bancroft 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the closest star to earth.
2007-01-25 07:53:05 · answer #7 · answered by Benvenuto 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the c losest start to the earth.
2007-01-25 07:55:33 · answer #8 · answered by Gone fishin' 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a medium star, g class.
2007-01-25 08:18:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋