Question

Which of these statements is MOST accurate about the Sun?

A) It has an infinite energy supply.
B) It has consumed approximately one-half of its expendable energy.
C) It is in its infancy in terms of energy consumption.
D) It is near the end of its life cycle.

Answer 1

The Sun has consumed approximately one-half of its expendable energy, it is around 4.5 billion years old, and it has a total expected lifespan of about 10 billion years, so it is roughly middle-aged.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the given statements about the Sun, the most accurate is that the Sun has consumed approximately one-half of its expendable energy. Radiometric dating methods show that the Sun is approximately 4.5 billion years old. Considering that it has a main-sequence lifetime of about 10 billion years, the Sun is presently middle-aged. In the core, the Sun fuses hydrogen into helium through nuclear reactions, primarily the proton-proton chain, which releases energy that we observe as sunlight. This energy production is responsible for the Sun's vast luminosity of approximately 3.8 × 1026 watts. In roughly five billion years, the Sun will exhaust the hydrogen in its core, marking the end of its life as a main-sequence star. It will then become a red giant before eventually shedding its outer layers and leaving behind a white dwarf. Thus, the most accurate statement would be B) It has consumed approximately one-half of its expendable energy.