Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: erickejah on 29/04/2009 22:03:56

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: erickejah on 29/04/2009 22:03:56

 [???]
is it a nuclear reaction?

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: Vern on 29/04/2009 22:07:36

The sun is a fusion reactor. It fuses mostly hydrogen atoms into helium. When most of its hydrogen has become helium, it will then get very agitated and start fusing helium, eventually going all the way to carbon. Larger stars can take the process all the way to iron when they nova.

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: erickejah on 29/04/2009 22:09:34

why it does not decays?

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: erickejah on 29/04/2009 22:36:44

are you still there?
  [:-\][diagram=454_0]

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: Vern on 29/04/2009 23:21:00

Quote from: erickejah on 29/04/2009 22:09:34

why it does not decays?

The sun will eventually burn out; physicists calculate that will be within the next six or seven billion years. The method of burn out will be a red giant star that will swell out to beyond our earth's orbit. Then I think it eventually becomes a brown dwarf star. But it has been awhile since I read up on it, the end game might be different.

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: lyner on 29/04/2009 23:21:52

Yes it decays - but takes a very long time! Much longer than it takes to establish thermal equilibrium.

Title: How does the Sun keeps its temperature
Post by: syhprum on 30/04/2009 19:50:05

Professor Hoyle of continuous creation fame first worked out the mechanism of how power is generated in stars but never got the recognition he deserved.