Mass Into Energy
Albert Einstien was a famous physicist. In 1905, he proposed the theory of relativity in the form of the equation E=mc2. It explains how mass can be converted into energy. A tiny mass can be converted into a very large amount of energy. It is amazing that he figured this out because scientists had not even discovered the nucleus of the atom let alone hydrogen fusion. E symbolizes energy, M symbolizes mass, and C symbolizes the speed of light. People use this equation to figure out how much energy a certain amount of mass can make. That means that scientists can figure out how much energy the sun can give off. They figured out that at the core of the sun every second 600,000,000 tons of hydrogen is converted into helium and energy.
Scientists know that other reactions take place in the sun. Fusions from nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon also produce energy.