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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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Most popular questions from this chapter

The larger star in the Algol binary system (see Figure 19-21a) is of spectral class \(\mathrm{K}\), while the smaller star is of spectral class B. Discuss how the color of Algol changes as seen through a small telescope (through which Algol appears as a single star). What is the color during a deep eclipse, when the large star eclipses the small one? What is the color when the small star eclipses the large one?

What observations would you make of a star to determine whether its primary source of energy is hydrogen fusion or helium fusion?

Although Polaris, the North Star, is a Cepheid variable, it pulsates in a somewhat different way than other Cepheids. Search the World Wide Web for information about this star's pulsations and how they have been measured by astronomers at the U.S. Naval Observatory. How does Polaris pulsate? How does this differ from other Cepheids?

What is the difference between Population I and Population II stars? In what sense can the stars of one population be regarded as the "children" of the other population?

The stars that make up the binary system W Ursae Majoris (see Figure 19-21c) have particularly strong magnetic fields. Explain how astronomers could have discovered this. (Hint: See Section 16-9.)
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