Question

It has been found that the Sun’s mass loss is 4.34 × 10⁹ kg per second. How much energy per second would be radiated into space by the Sun?

Answer 1

Given: Sun’s mass loss = 4.34 × 10⁹ kg per second

To find: Energy radiated per second into space by Sun

Calculation: Δm = 4.34 × 10⁹ kg per second

Now, 1.66 × 10^-27 kg = 1 u

∴ Δm = `(4.34 xx 10^9)/(1.66 xx 10^-27)` u per second

= 2.614 × 10³⁶ u per second

Now, 1 u = 931.4 MeV

∴ 2.614 × 10³⁶ u per second = 2.614 × 10³⁶ × 931.4

= 2.435 × 10³⁹ MeV/s

Now, 1 eV = 1.6022 × 10^-19 J and 1 eV = 1 × 10^-6 MeV
∴ 1 MeV = 1.6022 × 10^-13 J = 1.6022 × 10^-16 kJ

∴ E = 2.435 × 10³⁹ MeV/s × 1.6022 × 10^-16 kJ/MeV

= 3.901 × 10²³ kJ/s

Energy radiated per second into space by Sun is 3.901 × 10²³ kJ/s.