how does the sun release energy?

Answer 1

Fusion. It fuses elements together and the leftovers are dispersed into space.

Answer 2

At the center of the sun where the pressure and temperature are very great, a small proportion of hydrogen atoms are pressed into close enough proximity to fuse into a helium atom plus excess energy. It takes perhaps a hundred years for the energy to reach the surface of the sun to replace lost energy. The sun's energy travels to earth in the form of photons (visible and invisible light) of all colors to produce pure white light. We can feel the heat of the sun on exposed skin which can be burned by invisible ultraviolet light.

Answer 3

The sun produces energy by the fusion reaction of hydrogen converting to helium, and some of the mass being converted into energy, as in a hydrogen bomb.

A star forms from a condensing cloud of gas (mostly hydrogen, with a small amount of other elements). As a gas is compressed, it heats up (which is why a bicycle pump gets hot, as we pump up a tyre). When a huge gas cloud large enough to form a star condenses under gravity, the heat becomes intense; up to many millions of degrees. In addition, there is tremendous radiation pressure as the gas molecules are squeezed closer together. Eventually, when the heat gets to about 10 million degrees, the combined effect causes a nuclear fusion reaction to take place, and the condensed gas cloud (now a star) becomes like a huge fusion reactor. As Kes noted, it takes a long time for the energy from the fusion reaction to reach the surface of the sun, but eventually some of it escapes into space, and travels to earth as solar radiation. as it condenses, it heats up

Answer 4

E=MC2. Every second the sun fuses 4.000.000 tons of hydrogen into helium, a tiny portion of the hydrogen is converted into pure energy, this energy radiates outward as heat an light, the sun has been doing this for five billion years and it is expected to do so for an equal amount of time.

Answer 5

Put simply, when two hydrogen atoms fuse into one helium, one of the by-products is energy in the form of heat.

When millions of tons of hydrogen atoms fuse into helium every second...

Answer 6

Solar radiation reaches the Earth's upper atmosphere at a rate of 1366 watts per square meter (W/m2).[1] The first map shows how the solar energy varies in different latitudes.

While traveling through the atmosphere, 6% of the incoming solar radiation (insolation) is reflected and 16% is absorbed resulting in a peak irradiance at the equator of 1,020 W/m².[2] Average atmospheric conditions (clouds, dust, pollutants) further reduce insolation by 20% through reflection and 3% through absorption.[3] Atmospheric conditions not only reduce the quantity of insolation reaching the Earth's surface but also affect the quality of insolation by diffusing incoming light and altering its spectrum.

The second map shows the average global irradiance calculated from satellite data collected from 1991 to 1993. For example, in North America the average insolation at ground level over an entire year (including nights and periods of cloudy weather) lies between 125 and 375 W/m² (3 to 9 kWh/m²/day).[4] This represents the available power, and not the delivered power. At present, photovoltaic panels typically convert about 15% of incident sunlight into electricity; therefore, a solar panel in the contiguous United States on average delivers 19 to 56 W/m² or 0.45 - 1.35 kWh/m²/day.[5]

The dark disks in the third map on the right are an example of the land areas that, if covered with 8% efficient solar panels, would produce slightly more energy in the form of electricity than the total world primary energy supply in 2003.[6] While average insolation and power offer insight into solar power's potential on a regional scale, locally relevant conditions are of primary importance to the potential of a specific site.

After passing through the Earth's atmosphere, most of the sun's energy is in the form of visible and infrared radiation. Plants use solar energy to create chemical energy through photosynthesis. Humans regularly use this energy burning wood or fossil fuels, or when simply eating the plants.

A recent concern is global warming, an effect of pollution that is allowing less sunlight to reach the Earth's surface. This loss of sunlight is intricately linked with pollution particles and global warming, and it is mostly of concern for issues of global climate change, but is also of concern to proponents of solar power because of the existing and potential future decreases in available solar energy. The order of magnitude is about 4% less solar energy available at sea level over the timeframe of 1961–90, mostly from increased reflection from clouds back into space.[7]