The Sun. Big, bright, and beautiful. Its steadfast light is a constant in our ever-changing lives.
From nearly 93 million miles away, it sheds its rays down upon our Earth every day.
Placed in the very center of our solar system, the Sun provides our world with all the heat and
light necessary for life. Without the Sun, our Earth would be a dark, cold, and barren sphere.
Without the Sun, life on Earth would be impossible.
At the churning, boiling center of the Sun, a miraculous process is taking place.
Temperatures of more than 25 million degrees Fahrenheit allow nuclear fusion to occur. Nuclear
fusion occurs when two or more atoms come together and create a heavier atom. Inside the intense
heat of the Sun, hydrogen atoms join together and create helium atoms. During this process,
energy is released, and this energy is what causes the Sun to shine, producing heat and light. This
heat and light energy created by nuclear fusion is discharged by the Sun out into the solar system.
Scientists call this energy solar radiation, but the simpler term is sunlight. This solar
radiation travels millions of miles through the intervening space between the Sun and our planet.
Solar radiation comes to the Earth in the form of waves called electromagnetic waves. These
waves include both electric and magnetic energy, and travel at the speed of light, about 180,000
miles per second, to reach the Earth. From the time these waves leave the Sun's surface,
they take just over eight minutes to travel the millions of miles between the Sun and Earth.
Some of these waves we see as sunlight, but many of these waves are invisible to the naked eye.
One type of electromagnetic wave originating from the Sun is called an ultraviolet wave.
Although ultraviolet waves cannot be seen, their effects can definitely be felt. They
are the solar radiation waves that cause your skin to burn when you are in the sun too long.
Another type of electromagnetic wave from the Sun is infrared radiation. We cannot
see infrared waves, but we can feel their heat. Almost all the energy we have on the
Earth comes directly from the Sun. Without the heat and light the Earth receives from the Sun,
the food chain that sustains life on our planet would not be possible.
Consider this example: Grass receives energy from the Sun and
turns it into food for itself through a process called photosynthesis. The grass grows and cows
and goats eat the grass. Through the energy they get from eating the grass, the cows and goats grow
and produce milk. Humans drink the milk made by the cows and goats which gives us the energy we
need to live, work, run, and play. Solar radiation is vital to life on Earth. Since the beginning of
time, sunlight has been an essential tool for cooking, growing, melting, warming, and drying.
As time and human knowledge progressed, other uses for solar radiation were discovered. With just
one example, scientists have implemented a way to convert sunlight into electricity through the use
of solar panels. Solar panels contain numerous small cells which collect solar radiation and
convert the light energy into electrical energy for our use. The electrical energy
is then stored or sent to homes and buildings where it's used to turn on lights, televisions,
appliances, and more. The next time you step out into the sunlight, lift up your face and feel the
warmth of the sun's life-giving rays on your skin. Bask in a pure energy that makes life possible.