Question
Question: Solar energy is due to _______ reactions? (A). Nuclear fusion (B). Nuclear fission (C). Combin...
Solar energy is due to _______ reactions?
(A). Nuclear fusion
(B). Nuclear fission
(C). Combination of nuclear fusion and fission
(D). Chemical
Solution
Hint- In order to deal with this question we will first understand the term solar energy then we will proceed further by finding its production process. We will go through the process going on at the surface of the sun on the basis of gases present there.
Complete step-by-step answer:
The Sun, like others stars, is a ball of gas. It is composed of 91.0 percent hydrogen and 8.9 percent helium, in terms of the number of atoms. By mass, the Sun is around 70.6% hydrogen, and 27.4% helium.
Fission is the separation of a heavy, unstable nucleus into two lighter nuclei, and fusion is the phase in which two light nuclei fuse to emit large quantities of energy together.
Nuclear fusion is a process that incorporates two or more atomic nuclei to create one or more separate atomic nuclei and subatomic (neutron or proton) particles.
Both fission and fusion are energy-inducing nuclear reactions.
Fusion occurs when protons of hydrogen atoms collide violently in the core of the sun and fuse to form a helium atom.
While fission-generated energy is not equivalent to fusion-generated energy, the center of the sun is consumed by hydrogen and at temperatures where hydrogen fusion is possible, so that the dominant source of energy per cubic meter is in fusion rather than the fission of very low abundance radioisotopes. Fission is not a major energy source as long as the temperatures and densities are high enough to induce fusion.
Hence, the conclusion is that solar energy is created by nuclear fusion that takes place in the sun.
So, the correct answer is option A.
Note- Solar energy is any form of energy that is harnessed directly from the sun’s rays. In more technical terms, it refers to the capture of electromagnetic radiation from the sun and its conversion into usable energy, in the form of heat or electricity. Chemical fission is a nuclear reaction or cycle of radioactive decay, in which an atom's nucleus breaks into two or more smaller, lighter nuclei. The fission cycle also produces gamma photons, which also by the normal levels of radioactive decay, emits a very significant amount of radiation.