Final answer:
The Sun is composed of mainly hydrogen and helium, and it has different layers that play roles in energy generation and transport. Energy generated in the core moves outward through the radiative and convective zones, and is eventually released into the Sun's atmosphere. The Sun will go through evolutionary stages, including becoming a red giant and then a white dwarf.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sun is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, while Earth has a more diverse composition of elements. The various layers of the Sun include the core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. Each layer has its own function in the energy generation and transport process.
Energy is generated in the Sun's core through nuclear fusion, where hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releasing a large amount of energy. This energy then moves outward through the radiative zone by radiation, as photons carry the energy from the core to the convective zone.
In the convective zone, energy is transported through the movement of plasma, as hotter plasma rises while cooler plasma sinks. From the convective zone, the energy is then released into the Sun's atmosphere, starting with the photosphere where it is radiated as visible light. The chromosphere and corona are higher layers of the atmosphere where different phenomena, such as solar flares and prominences, occur.
As the Sun evolves, it will eventually leave the main sequence phase and go through different stages. These stages include the red giant phase, where the Sun expands and becomes larger, and the white dwarf phase, where it will shed its outer layers and become a dense remnant. Ultimately, the Sun is expected to end its life as a cold, compact object known as a white dwarf.