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Nydus Open Learning

Astrophysics

Nuclear energy and main-sequence lifetimes

Fusing four hydrogen nuclei into helium releases 26.7 MeV, 0.7 percent of their mass, by the proton-proton chain or the CNO cycle; burning a tenth of its mass gives the Sun 10 billion years, and lifetime falls as about M^-2.5.

About 30 minutes8 activities Paper packet