The sun radiates energy at the rate 3.90*1026 W. The source of this energy is fu

Question

The sun radiates energy at the rate 3.90*1026 W. The source of this energy is fusion, a nuclear reaction in which mass is transformed into energy. The mass of the sun is 1.99*1030 kg.
a. How much mass does the sun lose each year?


b. To put the answer in part a into perspective, lets assume that the average human has a mass of 50 kg. There are 6.8 billion people on the Earth. How long does it take for the Sun to shed a mass equivalent to the mass of all of the people on the Earth?


c. What fraction of the sun's total mass is the mass lost each year?


d. Estimate the lifetime of the sun. (use yr for years)

Explanation / Answer

E=mc^2 3.90*10^26*365*24*60*60=m*9*10^16 => m=1.366*10^17 kg is lost each year (b)mass of all the people combined =3.4*10^11 kg solving by unitary methods Sun losses this mass in 78.49 sec (c)6.86*10^-14 (d) 1.45*10^13 years

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