Chapter 16, Problem 56EAP

Internal Temperature of the Sun. The Sun is essentially a gas cloud in which the forces of pressure and gravity balance each other. We can therefore use the equation in Mathematical Insight 16.1 to estimate the interior temperature of the Sun from its mass and particle density.

1. What is the average number density of particles within the Sun, given that the average mass per particle is about  ${10}^{-24}\text{ gram}$ ? (Hint: The volume of a sphere of radius r is equal to  $4\pi r^3/3$ .)
2. What is the approximate temperature necessary for gas pressure to balance gravity within the Sun, given the average particle density from part a?
3. How does your estimate compare with the internal core temperature of the Sun?