Approximately what core temperature is required before hydrogen fusion can begin in a star?
A)10,000 K
B)10 million K
C)1 billion K
D)10 billion K
E)10 trillion K

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hydrogen fusion occurs at temperatures of around 10 million Kelvin (K). This is the minimum temperature required to overcome the strong electrostatic repulsion between positively charged atomic nuclei (protons) and force them to merge and form helium. At these high temperatures and pressures, hydrogen becomes a plasma, in which electrons are stripped from the atomic nuclei, allowing them to interact more freely. This facilitates nuclear fusion reactions that release enormous amounts of energy.

Approximately What Core Temperature Is Required Before Hydrogen Fusion Can