What does nuclear fusion do on the sun?

Answer 1

The nuclear fusion in the sun smashes hydrogen atoms together. The atoms do not combine easily and the fusion (combining of two atoms) can only happen under tremendous pressures by the weight of the material (the gravitational pressures of the star due to its large mass).

Here are the steps.

1. Two pairs of hydrogen protons to form 2 deuterons (a hydrogen isotope)

2. Each deuteron fuses with an additional proton of hydrogen to form helium-3

3. Two helium-3 nuclei fuse to create beryllium-6, but this is unstable and disintegrates immediately into two protons and a helium-4

4. the two protons, together with other hydrogen protons, can then form 2 deuterons and the process starts again.

Whenever the fusion takes place, mass is "destroyed" as the result is energy which is released through radiation.

The above method is the primary nuclear reaction in our sun. There is also an alternate method which larger stars use called the CNO cycle, but it requires a much larger mass than our sun (about 50% larger) to initiate.

Answer 2

The same thing that happens with a thermonuclear bomb happens during nuclear fusion on the sun. During the process, a large amount of hydrogen from the core of the sun is squeezed out.

Answer 3

It produces helium by fusion of hydrogen nuclei (protons), and this releases thermal energy

Answer 4

Hydrogen turns into Helium