2. How does the sun make energy?

The sun generates energy through a process called nuclear fusion. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how this process works: 1. **Core Conditions**: The core of the sun is extremely hot (about 15 million degrees Celsius) and has a high pressure due to the immense gravitational force of the sun's mass. 2. **Hydrogen Atoms**: The primary fuel for the sun's energy production is hydrogen. The core is composed mostly of hydrogen atoms. 3. **Nuclear Fusion Process**: - Under the extreme conditions in the sun's core, hydrogen nuclei (protons) collide with enough energy to overcome their natural repulsion (since they are both positively charged). - When these protons collide, they can fuse together to form a heavier nucleus, specifically helium. This process releases a tremendous amount of energy. 4. **Energy Release**: The energy produced during fusion comes in the form of gamma rays, which are high-energy photons. This energy is released in the form of light and heat, which eventually makes its way to the surface of the sun and radiates out into space. 5. **Energy Transport**: The energy produced in the core takes a long time (thousands to millions of years) to reach the surface of the sun due to the dense material it must pass through. It moves outward through a process of radiation and convection. 6. **Solar Radiation**: Once the energy reaches the surface, it is emitted as sunlight, which provides energy to the solar system, including Earth. In summary, the sun makes energy through nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium in its core, releasing vast amounts of energy in the process.