• Question: if there is no oxygen in space how does the sun and other stars keep burning

    Asked by xxelitexx1 to Amy, Karen, Sarah, Vijay, Will on 14 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Will Reynolds

      Will Reynolds answered on 14 Jun 2012:

      Hi xxelitexx1. Stars do not ‘burn’ in the same way things burn on earth. On earth burning is the release of energy when other elements (usually carbon or hydorgen) combine with oxygen, which is called combustion. The sun produces energy via nuclear fusion, which is when the nuclei of two hydrogen atoms fuse together, under high temperatures and pressures, to make a helium atom. Nuclear fusion is not ‘burning’ in the conventional sense and so it does not require oxygen. Hope this answers your question.

    • Photo: Karen Reed

      Karen Reed answered on 16 Jun 2012:

      Hiya xxelitexx1 – great question expertly answered by Will. I’d have just said starts don’t burn using oxygen, rather they use a progess called nuclear fusion which doesnt need oxygen. Its an exothermic reaction (that means a chemical reaction that gives out energy as heat or light – just to show off a little chemical knowhow – the opposite is an Endothermic reaction, one that uses up energy).

    • Photo: Sarah Martin

      Sarah Martin answered on 17 Jun 2012:

      Hi xxelitexx1! Great question, expertly answered already. All I can add is that if you added oxygen to a star now, it would make an almighty bang as you get both reactions happening at the same time – nuclear fusion of hydrogens (which incidentally is where all the other elements come from!) AND a big bonfire due to all the heat and oxygen… Badaboom!

Comments