Which definition describes a ball of hot gas, primarily hydrogen and helium, that undergoes nuclear fusion?

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Multiple Choice

Which definition describes a ball of hot gas, primarily hydrogen and helium, that undergoes nuclear fusion?

That description matches a star. A star is a hot ball of gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, that produces energy through nuclear fusion in its core. Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy as light and heat. The extreme temperatures and pressures inside a star make fusion possible, keeping it shining for millions to billions of years. Planets aren’t hot enough to fuse elements and simply orbit stars; comets are icy bodies with tails, and meteors are space rocks that burn up in Earth's atmosphere. So the defining idea here is a star—a luminous object powered by nuclear fusion.

That description matches a star. A star is a hot ball of gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, that produces energy through nuclear fusion in its core. Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy as light and heat. The extreme temperatures and pressures inside a star make fusion possible, keeping it shining for millions to billions of years. Planets aren’t hot enough to fuse elements and simply orbit stars; comets are icy bodies with tails, and meteors are space rocks that burn up in Earth's atmosphere. So the defining idea here is a star—a luminous object powered by nuclear fusion.

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