Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 15/02/2007 22:34:41

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: neilep on 15/02/2007 22:34:41

Say for instance that the Sun just fizzled out just like that. Like a light turning off.

How long would it be before we all became freezer food ?

If we had the technology would we be able to use the Earths core to give us heat ?

Would we need to create Ultraviolet lights to feed the planet ?


Say the Sun did just go out !...would would be the repercussive turn of events ?

Title: Re: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 15/02/2007 22:56:31

I reckon it would cool down pretty quickly and become uncomfortably cold everywhere after a few days  the oceans may take a few weeks to freeze on the surface but the deep ocean would stay liquid and life would go on there unperturbed almost indefinitely around the geothermal springs. 

So you need to build a deep submersible and have do like eating shrimps if you want to survive  :-)

Title: Re: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: another_someone on 15/02/2007 23:22:32

Would the heat deriving from geothermal vents have enough energy to drive ocean currents around the world?  If not, then the heat produced by them will remain fairly localised.

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: chris on 18/02/2007 13:03:54

According to University of York professor of Astrophysics Brian Fulton, whom we interviewed a few years back, the light emerging from the Sun is already a million years old or so, because the conditions inside the star prevent the photons from escaping readily.

So, it's tempting to speculate that if the fusion reaction suddenly ceased, in theory there should be a million years worth of light in there somewhere!

Chris

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: another_someone on 18/02/2007 16:23:05

The only problem is that if the fusion were to suddenly stop, there would be a massive implosion, which would probably cause a secondary fusion reaction, and may even cause the sun to go super-nova.

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: Karen W. on 19/02/2007 18:07:43

Would that not induce absolute zero, temperatures and and would there be nothing left as far as life as we know it? Would there be some other heat that I am  not aware of?

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: another_someone on 19/02/2007 18:59:31

Quote from: Karen W. on 19/02/2007 18:07:43

Would that not induce absolute zero, temperatures and and would there be nothing left as far as life as we know it? Would there be some other heat that I am  not aware of?

Absolute zero - where?

Firstly, there is nowhere in the universe that is at absolute zero, because the microwave background radiation that is believed to be the remnant from the Big Bang baths us all in a temperature of around 3K, so that is as low as it gets outside of laboratory conditions.

Secondly, as has been mentioned, on the earth itself one has geothermal heat welling up from the core of the Earth.

Thirdly, the present fusion burning that is going on inside the Sun if keeping the Sun as big as it is, like a hot balloon.  You take away the heat from the balloon, and the balloon collapses.  But the point is that as the balloon collapses (particularly if the heat was suddenly taken away) it will cause an increase of pressure on the contents within, and this will cause the contents to heat up again.  If this is done gradually, it could come to some equilibrium, but if done suddenly, if can cause a massive implossion, and with something the size of the Sun, it could reignite the fussion reaction (possibly causing fusion with the heavier elements, if it had run out of hydrogen to burn).

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: neilep on 19/02/2007 19:22:46

Quote from: Soul Surfer on 15/02/2007 22:56:31

I reckon it would cool down pretty quickly and become uncomfortably cold everywhere after a few days  the oceans may take a few weeks to freeze on the surface but the deep ocean would stay liquid and life would go on there unperturbed almost indefinitely around the geothermal springs. 

So you need to build a deep submersible and have do like eating shrimps if you want to survive  :-)

Thank you for this Ian,


I will try not to worry myself too much about the design and implementation of a deep submersible. I do love shrimps though...though....probably not after the 100th day in a row !!.....I would try and cultivate some seaweed salads and open up a McDeeepseadivers !

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: neilep on 19/02/2007 19:24:44

Thanks to everybody else too.

When I asked the question I omitted to confirm that if the sun was to be switched off just like a light switch that it would be an immediate cessation it all sun activity rendering it inert immediately.

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: another_someone on 19/02/2007 20:32:06

Quote from: neilep on 19/02/2007 19:24:44

When I asked the question I omitted to confirm that if the sun was to be switched off just like a light switch that it would be an immediate cessation it all sun activity rendering it inert immediately.

But the issue remains, what do you do about the gravitational force, in the absence of any internal pressure?

Even if one assumes that all the material there is was instantly converted to iron, and so no longer capable of exothermic fusion (although still capable of endothermic fusion) - you will still have that implosion, and then the rebound sending shock waves throughout the solar system.

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: iko on 19/02/2007 21:03:02

Quote from: neilep on 15/02/2007 22:34:41

Say for instance that the Sun just fizzled out just like that. Like a light turning off.
...
Say the Sun did just go out !...would would be the repercussive turn of events ?

After a massive multiple volcano eruption
the sun would become invisible as well...
This event is more realistic than our star
being switched off just like that!

ikod

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.columbia.edu%2Fnews%2F2003%2Fimages%2Fvolcano_400.jpg&hash=3b5c355461ba8db2b6bcf6e7a5eff331)
http://www.earth.columbia.edu/news/2003/images/volcano_400.jpg

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: neilep on 19/02/2007 21:51:28

Hang on !!..there's no mention of Cod Liver Oil in the above post !!......aaaaarrrrrgggghhhh !!!!

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: iko on 19/02/2007 22:27:46

Sorry Neilepus, Moderatissimus Withdrawnmisticus,

Thanks for reminding me:
I forgot to mention that with zero UV light,
no vitamin D3 could be synthesized anymore
by plants or animals.
We would definitively need cod liver oil then!

ikod

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.k12.nf.ca%2Fstpauls%2Fgrassroots%2Ffishery%2Ffishgr%2Fcod.gif&hash=30fed6992ef144fb17481b44398bc64e)

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: Karen W. on 20/02/2007 00:58:08

LOL, IKO>>> Your the Man!!! LOL

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: jolly on 24/02/2007 19:57:08

deleted as inapproprate

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: iko on 02/03/2007 21:32:56

Oh, how sad!
Same destiny with the naughty asteroid
hitting our wonderful Planet...
And what about those old 'nukes',
did they disappear altogether?

ikod

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwhyfiles.org%2F198find_nukes%2Fimages%2Ffat_man_cloud.jpg&hash=d811dbecee0c563cc838ad17d8b251cd)
http://whyfiles.org/198find_nukes/images/fat_man_cloud.jpg

A mushroom cloud rises over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
This photo is signed by Maj. Charles Sweeney, the pilot of the B-29 bomber that dropped the bomb. Photo courtesy Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Assoc. & Joseph Papalia.

from:   http://whyfiles.org/198find_nukes/index.html

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: neilep on 02/03/2007 22:56:10

A signed photograph by the pilot.....how quaint !!............ [::)]

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: Mjhavok on 03/03/2007 19:37:02

Neil does this forum link directly to your brain no matter where you are. 9568 posts. WOW.

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: neilep on 03/03/2007 21:33:25

Quote from: Mjhavok on 03/03/2007 19:37:02

Neil does this forum link directly to your brain no matter where you are. 9568 posts. WOW.

Believe me Steven....I am embarrassed by the amount.........though.I have been posting here for over three years now !!..still a lot I know !!
Though I am confident that Karen will soon overtake me (thankfully)......

Title: What would happen if there was no Sun...just like that !?
Post by: another_someone on 04/03/2007 02:36:21

Quote from: neilep on 03/03/2007 21:33:25

Though I am confident that Karen will soon overtake me (thankfully)......

Karen is already a neilep level member  [:)]