If It Takes an Average of 14 Billion Years Before

question 18

Multiple Choice

If it takes an average of 14 billion years before any proton inside the Sun will undergo fusion, and the Sun is only about 5 billion years old, why do astronomers believe that fusion is going on there now?

• A) fusion begins with particles even lighter than protons, which fuse more easily
• B) there are an enormous number of protons inside the Sun, and some of them will fuse much sooner than the average
• C) much more fusion takes place in the hot atmosphere of the Sun (where it can happen faster), not deep inside (where fusion is slow)
• D) most of the fusion inside the Sun involves carbon, not protons; carbon fuses much more quickly
• E) there is no fusion going on inside the Sun, and the fact given in the question is one of the reasons why

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Definitions:

Equilibrium Rate

The balance point in financial markets or for specific financial instruments, where supply meets demand.

Marginal Workers

Individuals who are employed in a job that does not fully utilize their skills or capabilities, often due to economic fluctuations or lack of available positions.

Real Wages

Wages adjusted for inflation, representing the true purchasing power of income earned from labor.

Productivity

A measure of the efficiency of production, often evaluated as the ratio of output to input in the production process.