Question

The Sun's expected lifetime powered by core hydrogen fusion is estimated to be:

A) 10⁷ years
B) 10⁸ years
C) 10⁹ years
D) 10¹⁰ years
E) 10¹¹ years

Answer 1

The Sun's lifespan, based on the hydrogen available for fusion and its current energy output, is approximately 10 billion years, corresponding to option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Sun's expected lifetime, powered by core hydrogen fusion, is estimated to be roughly 10 billion years, which corresponds to option C) 10⁹ years. This calculation is based on the fact that the Sun converts approximately 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium every second, and about 10% of the Sun's total hydrogen is utilized in nuclear reactions. Considering that the Sun produces energy at a rate of 4 × 10²watts, by determining how long it would take for the Sun to exhaust the hydrogen available for nuclear fusion, we can estimate its lifespan.