They are both nuclear fusion, but why do hydrogen bombs explode in an instant while the sun can burn for 10 billion years?
People once viewed the sun as a giant "fireball", but now we know that it is no ordinary fireball, but a magnificent "hydrogen bomb". However, this "hydrogen bomb" is completely different from the nuclear weapons we know. Nuclear weapons explode in an instant, while the sun releases energy for a long time, and its brilliance will shine on us for tens of billions of years.
The sun, the energy giant in the universe, generously lavishes endless energy. However, the earth can only capture a little bit of it, and what humans can use is even less. Imagine that if the sun's energy per second is 22 trillion, the earth only gets 10,000, and humans only have that precious drop.
Why is the sun so bright and dazzling? It turns out that its core is constantly performing a magnificent nuclear fusion dance. Although this is quite similar to the principle of a hydrogen bomb, the sun has never exploded instantly like a hydrogen bomb. What kind of mystery is hidden in this?
To solve this mystery, we need to trace its origin and explore it like a detective. Only by returning to the starting point of the problem can we unveil its mysterious veil and let the truth come to light. Let us embark on this journey of exploration together!
First, let's talk about the mysterious nuclear fusion! The "nucleus" here is not the fruit core we often say, but the atomic nucleus. There are two types of nuclear reactions: fusion and fission. Fusion is like a group of friends holding hands to become a big team, while fission is like everyone acting separately. Nuclear fusion is the small atomic nuclei working together to become a bigger atomic nucleus!
In the magical moment of nuclear fusion, mass jumps lightly and turns into a gorgeous firework of energy. This is not a simple disappearance, but another manifestation of mass, just like a dancer changing postures, elegant and charming. Mass and energy, the two are like twins, transforming into each other, and equivalent to each other.
Einstein's mass-energy equation reveals the secret of the speed of light: this amazing value means that even a tiny mass can release amazing energy. The huge speed of light makes the power of mass extremely powerful, which is really a magical work of nature!
The secret of the hydrogen bomb lies in nuclear fusion, which transforms hydrogen or its isotopes into heavier helium elements like a magician. However, to perform this magic, extremely high temperatures are required, at least hundreds of millions of degrees of heat. Therefore, nuclear fusion must first accumulate energy with the help of nuclear fission reactions before igniting this spectacular fusion fire.
Sun, you naughty guy, your core temperature is only 15 million degrees, how can it be so far from hundreds of millions of degrees? Logically, you should not be able to carry out nuclear fusion. But you did it anyway, which really makes people curious, what secrets do you hide?
In short, the reason why the sun shines so brightly is because it has unparalleled mass and contains rich substances. The sun, the giant in the universe, lights up our world with its abundant power.
Want to know how big the mass of the sun is? Imagine that the mass of the earth has reached an astonishing 600 trillion tons, but the mass of the sun is 330,000 times that of the earth! This is simply an astronomical figure, which makes people sigh at the vastness of the universe.
The sun, the king of the solar system, controls most of the mass, up to 99.86%! Its influence is unparalleled. Once it "moves", the entire solar system seems to "tremble" with it, like a chain of "colds".
The core of the sun is a vibrant stage where nuclear fusion takes place. There, matter sheds its common form and turns into a mysterious plasma state, like a pot of particle porridge. The particles shuttle freely, free from the constraints of the nucleus, and perform the wonderful dance of the universe.
The nuclear fusion we just talked about is like two stubborn protons wanting to hug each other. But they are both positively charged and push each other away. If you want them to really fuse, you have to work hard to overcome the strong electrostatic repulsion. So, how is this done?
There are four important actors on the big stage of nature: strong force, weak force, electromagnetic force and gravity. Among them, the weak force is a magician who excels at changing the identity of particles. Its magic is fully demonstrated in decay, and particles are transformed accordingly. In the core of the sun, the weak force even performs its magic, turning protons into neutrons.
However, the weak force is so insignificant in front of the electromagnetic force that the possibility of fusion is extremely small. Imagine that every billion years, protons have a rare opportunity to work together, transform into deuterons, and finally transform into helium, releasing shocking energy.
However, the reason why the sun is so powerful is that it has so many protons. Although the probability of each proton encountering a specific event is very small, in this mighty team, even a tiny thing like dust will eventually evolve into a striking phenomenon.
The reason why the sun burns slowly instead of exploding instantly is that the probability of a single proton fusion is pitifully low, and the weak force is really insignificant. Because of this, we can appreciate its long-lasting and stable brilliance instead of the short-lived brilliance of a hydrogen bomb.
The sun, the big torch in the universe, how steady is her burning rhythm? Is she like a thoughtful philosopher, burning herself calmly, releasing endless light and heat, and gently and persistently illuminating our world?
How much power does the sun burn? Don't ask for the specific value, let me give you an analogy. Its energy output is actually about the same as the energy consumed by adults in daily life, but the sun is ten times that of adults!
The reason why the sun can release huge energy is not due to the fierce nuclear fusion, but the magical power given by its huge mass. Just like the saying goes, "Great force creates miracles", the sun, with its huge mass, creates the miracles we see.
Although the weak force is small, it is just right for the sun. Once the weak force increases, even by only 10%, the life of the sun will drop by 20%. If it continues to grow, the life of the sun will accelerate, and it may even be extinguished before the birth of human beings and life, and all vitality will be gone.
Finally, we have to mention that the sun can still undergo nuclear fusion under harsh conditions. The driving force behind this is actually the mysterious "quantum tunneling effect". It is like a magician, allowing the sun to shine even in adversity.
Quantum tunneling, this term may have been heard by you. Simply put, it is like a brave microscopic particle. Even if it is short of energy, it dares to challenge the constraints of the "energy barrier", bravely crosses the past, completes those seemingly impossible tasks, and exceeds its own energy limit.
The "energy barrier" is like the extreme stage of your life. For example, you can only jump over a 2-meter-high wall with all your strength, and that 2 meters is the height of your stage. Theoretically, that 10-meter-high wall is like an unattainable dream. It would be difficult to overcome it by your own strength.
In the wonderful world of quantum tunneling, you may have the opportunity to obtain endless energy instantly and "pass through the wall" like Superman. However, this possibility is very small, and it is rare even at the microscopic level, not to mention that in the macroscopic world we are familiar with, this is almost an unattainable fantasy.
The sun, the giant in the universe, has an endless treasure of free particles. Despite the test of "energy barriers", it can always cleverly use quantum tunneling to break through many restrictions, allowing the army of nuclear fusion particles to continue, creating endless energy miracles.
Oh, finally got it done! I am so tired and happy! This paragraph has been reshaped by me. Although the style has changed, the meaning is still the same. Come and see my results. Is it a different flavor? Haha, don't be polite, enjoy it!