Calculate Energy Prod. in Sun, Hydrogen Consumption & Burning Time

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the energy production of the sun, the rate of hydrogen consumption, and the duration of hydrogen burning. The energy production is established at 2.5e39 MeV/s, derived from the solar radiation flux of 0.139 J cm-2 s-1 and the sun's distance from Earth. To determine the rate of hydrogen consumption and the burning duration, knowledge of the proton-proton (pp1) fusion chain and the energy emitted per fusion event is required.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of solar radiation flux and its conversion to energy units.
  • Knowledge of the proton-proton (pp1) fusion chain in stellar physics.
  • Familiarity with the mass-energy equivalence principle (E=mc²).
  • Basic calculations involving the surface area of a sphere.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the proton-proton (pp1) fusion chain and its energy output per reaction.
  • Learn how to calculate the surface area of a sphere and its relevance to solar energy calculations.
  • Investigate the mass of hydrogen in the sun and how it relates to energy production and consumption rates.
  • Explore the implications of stellar lifecycles and hydrogen burning duration in stars.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, and students studying stellar dynamics and energy production processes in stars will benefit from this discussion.

iuchem16
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The radiation flux from the sun at the top of the Earth's atmosphere is 0.139 J cm-2 s-1 at normal incidence. The Earth is 1.50x108 km from the sun. Calculate:
(a) the energy production in the sun in MeV/s
(b) the rate of hydrogen consumption in g/s
(c) how long hydrogen-burning can continue in the sun under the assumption that energy production continues at the present rate and that hydrogen burning will cease when 10% of the total hydrogen mass has been used up.
The mass of the sun is 2.0x1033g.

I have determined that the energy production in the sun is 2.5e39 MeV/s by converting the flux to MeV/cm^2*s and multiplying that by the area of the sphere produced by the radiation with r=1.50x108 km. However, I'm not sure how to calculate b & c. I was thinking it may have to do with the pp1 chain?
 
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For b, and c you need to know how much energy is emitted in each fusion event and how much hydrogen is consumed
 

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