The Core

At A Glance:

  • The innermost layer of the star is the core.
  • Approximately 160 times as dense as water on Earth.
  • Energy produced by nuclear fusion
  • Four protons fuse to form an alpha particle- the helium nucleus.
  • Extra mass of alpha particle converted into energy through E = mc^2

In Depth:

The energy of the star is due to nuclear fusion where 4 protons fuse to form an alpha particle. Since the mass of the alpha particle is less than that of the protons, the difference in mass is converted into energy. In this region, there is sufficient pressure and density for nuclear fusion to occur.

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