The Sun as an Energy Source

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Helium contains two protons, two neutrons, and two electrons

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What is a chemical reaction?

When two or more substances called chemicals come together and change into one or more different substances.

Think of Legos

When separate, Legos are just bricks, but together they can form houses, spaceships, even people! This is the same with chemicals.

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Solar Nuclear Fusion!!!

Four Hydrogen atoms are put together to form one Helium atom.

The atoms are happier as Helium so they give off a sigh of relief in the form of energy

This energy is called a gamma ray.

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The chemical reaction .

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I thought solar energy was in the form of light?

Correct!

Gamma rays travel from the core through about 80% of the sun

It becomes harder and harder for the rays to get out of the sun so they lose energy.

When they lose energy they form photons (visible light)

They are emitted and reach Earth as photons

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The Sun: An Energy Machine!

This reaction takes 1,000,000,000 years to complete!

386 billion billion megawatts

A power station for a city makes about 1,000 megawatts

700 million tons of Hydrogen are converted to 695 million tons of Helium every second

That means 5 million tons of energy are produced every second!!! Think about how much visible light it would take to make 5 million tons!!!!!!

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Solar Energy on Earth

About 30% of the sun’s energy is blocked before it reaches earth

Shielded by:

Atmosphere

Clouds

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Energy Path

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Photosynthesis

Energy in the form of food

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How is this energy used?

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The Energy Pyramid

Energy

Energy

Energy

Energy

Primary Producers (Photosynthesis)

Primary Consumers

Secondary Consumers

Tertiary Consumers

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Energy Transfer