The power output of the Sun is 4×1026 W.(a) If 90% of this is supplied by the proton-proton cycle, howmany protons are consumed per second?(b) How many neutrinos per second should there be persquare meter at the Earth from this process? This hugenumber is indicative of how rarely a neutrino interacts, sincelarge detectors observe very few per day.
Nuclear Fusion
Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction. In nuclear fusion, two or more than two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. During this process, an enormous amount of energy is released. This energy is called nuclear energy. Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the sun and stars.
Fusion Bomb
A fusion bomb is also known as a thermonuclear bomb or hydrogen bomb which releases a large amount of explosive energy during a nuclear chain reaction when the lighter nuclei in it, combine to form heavier nuclei, and a large amount of radiation is released. It is an uncontrolled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction where isotopes of hydrogen combine under very high temperature to form helium. They work on the principle of operation of atomic fusion. The isotopes of Hydrogen are deuterium and tritium, where they combine their masses and have greater mass than the product nuclei, get heated at high temperatures, and releases energy.
The power output of the Sun is 4×1026 W.
(a) If 90% of this is supplied by the proton-proton cycle, how
many protons are consumed per second?
(b) How many neutrinos per second should there be per
square meter at the Earth from this process? This huge
number is indicative of how rarely a neutrino interacts, since
large detectors observe very few per day.
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