Question

What process increases the thermal energy of atoms in a star and impacts the color of light a star radiates?
A.
the melting of fuels that are located in the core of a star
B.
the destruction of matter caused by a star’s magnetic field
C.
the change of energy into mass during chemical reactions
D.
the conversion of mass into energy during nuclear fusion

Answer 1

D. The conversion of mass into energy during nuclear fusion — fusion in the core releases huge amounts of energy (E=mc²), heating the star’s gas and determining its surface temperature and hence the color of the light it emits.