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Chapter 19: Problem 1

How does the chemical composition of the present-day Sun's core compare to the core's composition when the Sun formed? What caused the change?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The Sun's core was initially composed largely of hydrogen and helium. Over time, through the process of nuclear fusion, which converts hydrogen into helium, the Sun's core has steadily become more helium-rich and less hydrogen-rich.

Step by step solution

01

Describe the initial composition of the Sun's core

The Sun, like all stars, formed from a vast cloud of gas and dust. This protostellar material is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of heavier elements. Therefore, when the Sun formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago, its core was largely composed of hydrogen and helium.
02

Describe the present-day composition of the Sun's core

Over its lifetime, the Sun has been continuously undergoing nuclear fusion reactions in its core. These reactions convert hydrogen into helium, releasing energy in the process. As a result, the present-day Sun's core contains less hydrogen and more helium than when it first formed.
03

Explain the cause of the change in the Sun's core composition

The change in the Sun's core composition is due primarily to the process of nuclear fusion. This is the reaction by which stars produce energy: four hydrogen nuclei are joined together in a series of reactions to create one helium nucleus, with a small amount of matter converted into energy in the process. Over billions of years, continuous nuclear fusion has resulted in a decrease in the amount of hydrogen and an increase in the amount of helium in the Sun's core.

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