English Deutsch Français Italiano Español Português 繁體中文 Bahasa Indonesia Tiếng Việt ภาษาไทย
All categories

How do we know it does not come from chemical burning?

2007-08-07 01:43:46 · 4 answers · asked by Cleveo7 1 in Science & Mathematics Astronomy & Space

4 answers

Chemical burning requires oxygen, and there isn't any in or around the sun, therefore no chemical burning. It was also calculated some time ago that a chemically burning sun would have burned out long ago. Nuclear fusion is the only process that fits the observed composition of the sun and the amount of energy being released.

2007-08-07 01:51:39 · answer #1 · answered by Jason T 7 · 0 1

Through spectral analysis we know the composition of the sun and how much energy it releases. Based on it composition and energy the only possibility that meets both requirements is nuclear fusion.

2007-08-07 02:03:31 · answer #2 · answered by Brian K² 6 · 0 0

No other power source can supply that much power for so long. Chemical reactions could only keep it glowing for a few thousand years at the most, and anyway, the spectrum of the Sun shows mostly hydrogen with small amounts of helium and small traces of other elements. There is almost no oxygen. You cannot burn hydrogen without lots of oxygen.

2007-08-07 02:41:17 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0 1

Are you asking so many questions rather than reading your homework assignment?

2007-08-07 04:43:39 · answer #4 · answered by NJGuy 5 · 0 0

fedest.com, questions and answers