What extreme internal property forces energy transport to rely on the slow, iterative dance of photons?

Answer

The very high opacity of the stellar material blocking light.

The mechanism of radiative transfer is enforced within the radiative zone due to the extreme opacity of the stellar material in that region. Opacity measures how effectively the material blocks light. Because the plasma in this zone is incredibly dense and highly ionized, photons generated near the core are absorbed almost immediately after being emitted. This high opacity prevents photons from traveling freely, necessitating the constant process of absorption, re-emission, and redirection inherent to the random walk. If the opacity were lower, the energy transfer could occur via a more direct path, or if the temperature gradient were steeper, convection would take over.

What extreme internal property forces energy transport to rely on the slow, iterative dance of photons?

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