Which of the following is true about nuclear fusion in stars?

Question

A.
The process occurs near the stars' surfaces, but not inside their cores.
B.
The process releases great amounts of energy over millions or billions of years.
C.
The process combines heavier elements to form lighter elements.
D.
all of these

Answer 1

The correct answer is B.

Nuclear fusion in stars primarily occurs in their cores, where temperatures and pressures are extremely high, allowing lighter elements (like hydrogen) to fuse into heavier elements (like helium) and release vast amounts of energy in the process.

Here’s a breakdown of the other options:

• A is false because fusion primarily occurs in the cores, not the surfaces.
• C is false because fusion combines lighter elements to form heavier elements, not the other way around.
• D cannot be true because options A and C are incorrect.

So, the best statement from the options provided is B.