The Radiation Zone

At A Glance:

  • Nuclear fusion does not occur due to less pressure than the core
  • The moving atoms create waves of radiant energy called infrared rays.
  • The parts of the radiation zone that are nearer the sun's surface are cooler than those that are closer to the sun's core.
  • Because radiant heat normally flows from a hot place to a cooler one, the energy produced in the sun's core flows through the radiation zone, toward the surface of the sun.

In Depth:

Beyond the core, the temperature drops, and the pressure become too low for nuclear fusion to take place in large amounts. However, the energy is propagating outward through radiation. The photons undergo many collisions, absorption and re-emissions. Closer to the radiation zone/convection zone boundary, the temperature is relatively small compared to the other boundary. There exist a tendency for the negatively charged H- to form. The presence of this makes the medium optically more thick so that radiation alone can not carry the energy outward.

Back To Interior Core Radiation Zone Convection Zone