Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Joe L. Ogan on 27/09/2010 00:39:58

Title: Is the sun the source of all energy??
Post by: Joe L. Ogan on 27/09/2010 00:39:58

When I was very young and started studying science, I was told that the sun was the source of all energy.  Is this really true?  There are an awful lot of suns.  Do they contribute some energy.  It is just my policy to go back and challenge things that I have been taught because I have found that they are often wrong or, at least, partly wrong.  Thanks for comments.  Joe L. Ogan

Title: Is the sun the source of all energy??
Post by: JP on 27/09/2010 02:33:14

Hi Joe,

Is this basically the same question you asked here?  There's a couple good answers in that post: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=32678.0

Title: Is the sun the source of all energy??
Post by: syhprum on 27/09/2010 09:39:58

Without the sun the Earth would still receive some energy from the rest of the universe in the form of starlight, cosmic ray particles, CMBR etc.
All these sources would be tiny compared to what we normally receive from the Sun and would not be apparent until the stored gravitational in the Earth/Moon system and the radioactive energy in the Earth had dissipated which would take a very long time. 

Title: Is the sun the source of all energy??
Post by: yor_on on 27/09/2010 17:49:00

If you're thinking of the vacuum energy Joe?
Don't know.

We can make some assumptions, like mass and speed transforms distances and 'time'.
So what would happen to a universe without mass?
Would times arrow disappear?

And if it did, what would happen with that 'vacuum energy'?
After all, it's no part of our arrow, or is it?