Question

Estimate how much mass the Sun loses through fusion reactions during its 10-billion-year life. You can simplify the problem by assuming the Sun’s energy output remains constant.

Answer 1

Explanation:

By using Einstein equation,

E = mc²

m = E/c²

As the sun's energy output remains constant, we are taking it as 3.839×10²⁶.

speed of light c = 299,729,458 m/s

by putting these values in above equation,

m = (3.839×10²⁶)/(299.729,458)²

m = 4.721×10⁹kg.

It is the mass that loss per second.

Now a year (including leap year) has 31,556,926 seconds. Thus the 10 billion years equal 1.348×10²⁷kg of total mass loss.