Final answer:
The power output of the Sun can be calculated using the intensity of sunlight at Earth's orbit. The Sun's total power output is approximately 3.82 × 10²⁶ W.
Step-by-step explanation:
The power output of the Sun can be calculated using the intensity of sunlight at Earth's orbit.
The intensity of sunlight at Earth's orbit is given as 1360 W/m².
To find the Sun's total power output, we need to calculate the area of the sphere with a radius equal to the Earth's distance from the Sun.
The formula to calculate the area of a sphere is:
Area = 4π(radius)²
Substituting the value for the radius of Earth's orbit (1 Astronomical Unit or AU) into the formula, the total power output of the Sun can be calculated by multiplying the sunlight intensity by the area of the sphere.
The Sun's total power output is approximately 3.82 × 10²⁶ W.