3 ms·
Light from the sun that is reaching us now escaped the surface of the sun 8 minutes ago, yes. But photons are generated in the core through nuclear reactions,
by pantulis 7mo ago
Light from the sun that is reaching us now escaped the surface of the sun 8 minutes ago, yes.
But photons are generated in the core through nuclear reactions, where they take their sweet amount of thousands of years bouncing around until they get out.
- gpvos 7mo agoAnd thats a fact you don't need to learn in high school, at least you didn't in my time.
- mikkupikku 7mo agoI think this is right in a certain sense, but not precisely. From what I understand no visible light photons are created in the core from nuclear fusion, it's mostly a bunch of gamma rays that get almost immediately absorbed. The energy, but not the photons from fusion, gets transfered up through the layers of the sun, through radiation and convection, eventually heating the photosphere. It is then the photosphere, white hot, which ultimately radiates the visible light we see as sunlight.
- pantulis 7mo agoThanks for your answer, I understand you're correct. Also, as another counterargument, if a photon is scattered... is it the same photon or a different one? Your perspective on energy instead of particles is better.