What is the Sun?

What is the Sun?

• A. A small icy body
• B. A rocky planet
• C. A gas giant
• D. A big ball of plasma

Answer: (D)

The Sun is a star at the center of our solar system, shining because nuclear fusion in its core fuses hydrogen into helium and releases huge amounts of energy as light and heat. At those interior temperatures, matter exists as plasma—ions and free electrons moving together in a hot, electrically conducting state with strong magnetic fields—rather than as a solid, liquid, or neutral gas. This plasma state is what powers the Sun and lets it radiate energy across the spectrum. It’s not a small icy body, not a rocky planet, and not a gas giant; those are different kinds of objects—planets or small bodies—whereas the Sun itself is a giant ball of plasma and a star. The Sun’s gravity also binds the solar system, keeping the planets in orbit.

The Sun is a star at the center of our solar system, shining because nuclear fusion in its core fuses hydrogen into helium and releases huge amounts of energy as light and heat. At those interior temperatures, matter exists as plasma—ions and free electrons moving together in a hot, electrically conducting state with strong magnetic fields—rather than as a solid, liquid, or neutral gas. This plasma state is what powers the Sun and lets it radiate energy across the spectrum. It’s not a small icy body, not a rocky planet, and not a gas giant; those are different kinds of objects—planets or small bodies—whereas the Sun itself is a giant ball of plasma and a star. The Sun’s gravity also binds the solar system, keeping the planets in orbit.