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Fusing four free protons (hydrogen nuclei) into a single alpha particle (helium nucleus) releases around 0.7% of the fused mass as energy, [68] so the Sun releases energy at the mass–energy conversion rate of 4.26 billion kg/s (which requires 600 billion kg of hydrogen [69]), for 384.6 yottawatts (3.846 × 10 26 W), [5] or 9.192 × 10 10 ...
In 2023, solar power generated 5.5% (1,631 TWh) of global electricity and over 1% of primary energy, adding twice as much new electricity as coal. [ 65 ] [ 66 ] Along with onshore wind power , utility-scale solar is the source with the cheapest levelised cost of electricity for new installations in most countries.
The core produces almost all of the Sun's heat via fusion; the rest of the star is heated by the outward transfer of heat from the core. The energy produced by fusion in the core, except a small part carried out by neutrinos , must travel through many successive layers to the solar photosphere before it escapes into space as sunlight , or else ...
The total energy output of the Sun per second. [70] 2.4 × 10 11: 280 ZWh The kinetic energy of the Caloris Planitia impactor. [71] The photo of the Caloris Planitia on Mercury. Taken by the MESSENGER orbiter. 5.972 × 10 15: 6.94 RWh The explosive energy of a quantity of TNT of the mass of Earth. [72] 7.89 × 10 15: 9.17 RWh
Solar radio emission refers to radio waves that are naturally produced by the Sun, primarily from the lower and upper layers of the atmosphere called the chromosphere and corona, respectively. The Sun produces radio emissions through four known mechanisms, each of which operates primarily by converting the energy of moving electrons into ...
Total energy output of the Sun each year [240] [262] 10 35: 3.5×10 35 J The most energetic stellar superflare to date (V2487 Ophiuchi) [263] 10 38: 7.53×10 38 J Baryonic (ordinary) mass-energy contained in a volume of one cubic light-year, on average. [264] [265] 10 39 2–5×10 39 J Energy of the giant flare released by SGR 1806-20 [266 ...
The solar wind consists of particles (ionized atoms from the solar corona) and fields like the magnetic field that are produced from the Sun and stream out into space. Because the Sun rotates once approximately every 25 days, the heliospheric magnetic field [ 11 ] transported by the solar wind gets wrapped into a spiral.
Sunlight is a key factor in photosynthesis, the process used by plants and other autotrophic organisms to convert light energy, normally from the Sun, into chemical energy that can be used to synthesize carbohydrates and fuel the organisms' activities. Daylighting is the natural lighting of interior spaces by admitting sunlight.