What process sustains the Sun as a main-sequence star?
Answer
Fusing hydrogen into helium deep within its core
The stability of the Sun during its prime, as a main-sequence star, is fundamentally dependent on nuclear fusion occurring in its core. This specific reaction involves the conversion of lighter elements, namely hydrogen, into heavier elements, specifically helium. This continuous thermonuclear process releases the immense amount of energy required to counteract the inward pull of gravity and power life on Earth. The Sun is currently halfway through this phase, having maintained this stable energy output for approximately 4.6 billion years by converting massive amounts of hydrogen every second.
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