Which process powers the Sun by fusing hydrogen into helium?

Which process powers the Sun by fusing hydrogen into helium?

• A. Nuclear Fission
• B. Nuclear Fusion
• C. Photosynthesis
• D. Radioactive Decay

Answer: (B)

The Sun gets its energy from nuclear fusion, the process of turning light hydrogen nuclei into heavier helium nuclei in the hot core. In the Sun, hydrogen fuses through a sequence called the proton-proton chain, ultimately forming helium-4 and releasing energy as photons and neutrinos. This energy radiates outward, producing the Sun’s light and heat. Fusion is fundamentally different from fission, which splits heavy nuclei; it is not the chemical energy process used in photosynthesis, and it is not the spontaneous decay of unstable atoms, which is radioactive decay. So fusion is the power source for the Sun.

The Sun gets its energy from nuclear fusion, the process of turning light hydrogen nuclei into heavier helium nuclei in the hot core. In the Sun, hydrogen fuses through a sequence called the proton-proton chain, ultimately forming helium-4 and releasing energy as photons and neutrinos. This energy radiates outward, producing the Sun’s light and heat. Fusion is fundamentally different from fission, which splits heavy nuclei; it is not the chemical energy process used in photosynthesis, and it is not the spontaneous decay of unstable atoms, which is radioactive decay. So fusion is the power source for the Sun.