Science
How does the Sun produce energy?
The Sun produces energy through nuclear fusion in its core. Under crushing pressure and heat, hydrogen atoms fuse into helium, releasing enormous amounts of light and heat. That energy travels out and reaches Earth as sunlight.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how the Sun works.
Step by step
- 1Its energy comes from nuclear fusion in the core.
- 2Hydrogen atoms fuse into helium under huge pressure.
- 3Fusion releases vast light and heat.
- 4That energy radiates out and warms the solar system.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the Sun make energy?
- By nuclear fusion — hydrogen fusing into helium in its core, releasing enormous light and heat.
- Will the Sun ever run out of fuel?
- Yes, in billions of years — it will exhaust its hydrogen and eventually swell into a red giant.
- Why is the Sun so hot?
- Its core reaches around 15 million °C, where the pressure and heat sustain continuous fusion.