The Sun: Dimensions and Composition

Our Solar System revolves around the sun, and we are dependent on it in so many ways. The sun contains 99.85% of all of the mass of the entire Solar System.

How big is the sun?

Usually, when the solar system is shown in pictures, only a small part of the sun is show. Which means the sun must be absolutely massive.

The sun's diameter is 1,392,500 km. Its volume can be calculated by using the formula for a sphere, V=4/3πr3. So, 2 x 1030 kg. The sun's mass is 2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg.

What is the Sun?

The sun is a star; the only thing that makes it different from the rest of the stars is simply that it is our star. Just like all stars, our sun burns by the process of nuclear fusion. However, don't worry, it will take billions of years for our sun to burn out. We are safe from the possibility of losing our Solar furnace.

The Layers of the Sun

The part of the sun that we see, and where the sunlight comes from, is called the photosphere. It is the surface layer of the sun. The internal layers lying beneath the photosphere include:

• The Convection Zone at 200,000 km thick
• The Radiation Zone at 300,000 km thick
• The Core at 400,000 km

Solar Flares and Sunspots

Solar flares, also known as Solar Prominences, are huge releases of gases from the surface of the sun. They extend out from the sun for hundreds of thousands of kilometres.

Sunspots are areas of cooler temperature and they move across the surface of the sun. If they are closer to the equator, they move faster as this part of the sun rotates more rapidly than the other parts.

Energy of the Sun

The fuel for the sun is hydrogen. The amount of energy produced by the sun can be calculated by using the famous equation, developed by Albert Einstein, E = mc2; where E is energy (Joules), m is mass (kg) and c is the speed of light (m/s). However, the explanation behind that might be a story for another article.

The ElectroMagnet Spectrum

Light isn't the only thing type of electromagnetic energy that we get from the sun. With that said, the sun does emit damaging energy. This includes ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and Gamma-rays.

Hello. Nice to meet you! How are you? Hmm... this feels like a really one-sided conversation... why don't you follow me on social media so I can get to know you too!

About the Author

I started blogging about two years ago and my collection of blogs and articles is getting pretty impressive. I’ve taken online classes for writing and even some classes about the art of blogging itself. It would be really awesome if you join the adventure and maybe even help me think of what to write about next. If you would like to submit some feedback or ideas, you can always tweet me on twitter.

Like the story? Share it!

Thank you for reading my article. Would it be okay if I ask another favour though? Would it be okay if you share this on your Facebook page or Twitter? If you can't share, there is a tiny little donate box at the bottom too. No pressure though, just thought I would mention it.

Work Cited

“NASA.” www.nasa.gov/.

“Types of Electromagnetic Radiation.” Tnuda, 2 Aug. 2018, www.tnuda.org.il/en/physics-radiation/what-radiation/types-electromagnetic-radiation.