What process drives the Sun's energy production, fusing 600 million tons of hydrogen per second?
Answer
The proton-proton chain reaction
The immense energy output of the Sun, specifically the consumption of about 600 million tons of hydrogen every second to create helium, is powered by the proton-proton chain reaction. This specific sequence of nuclear reactions is the dominant energy generation mechanism in stars the size of or smaller than the Sun. It is this highly efficient, sustained conversion of mass into energy at the core that validates the Sun's status as a self-luminous celestial body defined by thermonuclear processes, setting it apart fundamentally from non-fusing objects.
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