![]() ![]() The core of the Sun fuses 620 million metric tons of hydrogen each second, making 616 million metric tons of helium per second as a result. Stars create energy by fusing hydrogen nuclei and releasing helium. This is not the same for heavier nuclei, which have a shorter-ranged nuclear force, which, instead of releasing energy with fusion, require energy as an input. When protons and neutrons are combined from lighter nuclei by this nuclear attraction, the nuclear reaction releases extra energy. ![]() The extreme pressures created by the gravity of stars create this final requirement for fusion to occur. ![]() As well as the heat and close proximity, fusion requires the nuclei to be confined in a small area. These high temperatures provide enough energy for light nuclei to overcome their natural electrical repulsion so that, once they come into very close range of each other, the nuclear force that attracts them outweighs the electrical repulsion (known as the Coulomb force), allowing them to fuse. This all creates the perfect conditions, including the high temperatures of around ten million degrees Celsius, required for hydrogen fusion. Stars, including our sun, are balls of plasma made of hydrogen and helium, created by the gravitational collapse of clouds of cold gas, which is compressed and heated, becoming plasma. Plasma is made of free moving electrons and positive ions, and has unique properties that are distinct from other gases, liquids, or solids.
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