evaluate: what will happen to our sun in the future?\nnow that your class has determined how the sun…
evaluate: what will happen to our sun in the future?\nnow that your class has determined how the sun releases tremendous amounts of energy, you can make\nsome predictions about the suns future. refer to the equation for nuclear fusion.\nnuclear fusion equation\nhydrogen + hydrogen → helium + energy\n1. what do you predict will happen to the amount of hydrogen over time? use evidence from the equation\nabove to justify your claim.\n2. what do you predict will happen to the amount of helium over time? use evidence from the equation\nabove to justify your claim.\n3. based on your answers to #1 and #2, do you predict our sun will provide earth with the right amount of\nenergy forever?
Answer
Brief Explanations:
- In the nuclear fusion equation ( \text{hydrogen}+\text{hydrogen}\rightarrow\text{helium}+\text{energy} ), hydrogen is a reactant. As the fusion reaction occurs over time, hydrogen is being consumed to form helium and release energy. So, the amount of hydrogen will decrease.
- Since helium is a product of the nuclear fusion reaction ( \text{hydrogen}+\text{hydrogen}\rightarrow\text{helium}+\text{energy} ), as the reaction progresses over time, more helium will be produced. So, the amount of helium will increase.
- The Sun's energy comes from the nuclear fusion of hydrogen. As hydrogen (the fuel for this fusion process) is being used up (as predicted in question 1) and will eventually run out (even though it has a vast amount initially), the Sun cannot provide Earth with the right amount of energy forever.
Answer:
- The amount of hydrogen will decrease. Because in the nuclear - fusion reaction ( \text{hydrogen}+\text{hydrogen}\rightarrow\text{helium}+\text{energy} ), hydrogen is consumed as a reactant.
- The amount of helium will increase. Since in the nuclear - fusion reaction ( \text{hydrogen}+\text{hydrogen}\rightarrow\text{helium}+\text{energy} ), helium is a product.
- No. Because the Sun's energy production depends on hydrogen fusion, and as hydrogen (the fuel) is being depleted (as per the reaction in the nuclear - fusion equation), it cannot produce energy indefinitely.