Asked in StarsNuclear Reactors
Stars
Nuclear Reactors
How is the sun like a giant nuclear reactor?
Answer
Wiki User
October 13, 2010 3:52PM
The sun actually is a giant nuclear fusion reactor, not fission like you see here on earth. The difference is that on earth, we can split atoms to break bonds and release energy. The result is weapons and electricity and nuclear waste. The sun however fuses atoms together to make new ones. An example of this is two hydrogen---->1 helium, 1 helium and one hydrogen----> one Lithium, etc. Energy is again released when the atomic bonds are broken and atoms remade, though no nuclear waste this time.
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