Energy is something most of us take for granted. You start your car, turn on a light, or watch TV without thinking too much about the fuel which powers these devices. The ultimate source of power for these conveniences is 93 million miles away and is also an important ingredient for that tan which you covet. It is the sun's energy which is crucial to life on earth.
Energy from the sun is responsible for almost all forms of power which we use in our everyday lives. The fossil fuels we use are stored energy from plants which grew in sunlight millions of years ago. Winds are generated from weather systems formed under the suns influence. Hydropower comes from free flowing water which wouldn't flow free without the sun's heat. Solar power is the driving force behind the processes which govern life on our planet.
The sun is big - it forms about 99% of the matter in the solar system. It produces most the energy needed for life on earth today. The energy the earth receives from the sun is just a very tiny portion of the energy produced by it. Most of the sun's energy radiates out into the empty void of space.
The sun is a star, astronomically speaking. Astronomers class it as a G2 - V star. The G2 portion of the classification means the sun is the second hottest type of star in the yellow star class. The V means the sun is a main sequence, or dwarf star.
The sun is located in the center of the solar system we call home. Energy from the sun radiates out from the center warming the planets in varying degrees relative to their distance from it.
The solar system is located in the outer portion of the spiral of the galaxy we know commonly as the Milky Way. A glance at the sky at night during the summer months, when it is best seen, shows the reason for its name. The milky band across the sky is plainly visible under clear skies.
The suns source of energy comes from a nuclear reaction called fusion. The sun is composed mostly of a gas called hydrogen. Because the sun is so large, the gravitational force it has is incredible. This gravitational force is great enough that hydrogen atoms - the basic component of the gas, are fused together. This compressive force forms the hydrogen into another gas called helium and releases a tremendous amount of energy in the process. It is this energy which races through space to the earth and other planets.
How Solar Energy Works
Harvesting this solar power efficiently to use is mankind's current challenge. One collection process which has been developed is called the solar cell. In this device, silicon has been manufactured in such a way to convert the sun's rays directly into electricity.
This electricity can then be used to power computers, motors, cars, fuel cells, and whatever else we decide to use. Solar power may be a very important source of our future power needs.
Except for a few isolated life forms, all life on earth depends upon the sun and the energy it radiates. Only a very tiny percentage of the energy of the sun lands on the earth, but this is still an enormous amount of power. Enough to charge the weather systems which move about the planet and provide light for plants to grow and warmth for water to stay liquid. The fossil fuel upon which we depend is simply stored solar energy, produced long ago, which we can use to today. Our challenge is to use solar power for today's energy needs.
Paul Wonning is the owner of
Plum Creek Marketing a web site which has information about many different topics.
