Energy is produced in the Sun by

Option B: Energy is produced in the Sun by nuclear fusion. In the Sun’s core, hydrogen nuclei (protons) fuse together to form helium nuclei through a process called nuclear fusion. This fusion reaction releases tremendous amounts of energy in the form of light and heat. The fusion process involves the conversion of mass into energy according to Einstein’s famous equation, E=mc², where a small amount of mass is converted into a large amount of energy. This energy is what powers the Sun and sustains its luminosity and heat output.

Nuclear fusion occurs under the extreme temperature and pressure conditions found in the Sun’s core, where hydrogen atoms are squeezed together with enough force to overcome their natural repulsion and fuse into helium atoms. This process releases a significant amount of energy in the form of gamma rays, which are eventually converted into visible light as they travel outwards through the Sun’s layers.

Options A (nuclear fission), C (oxidation reactions), and D (reduction reactions) are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the process by which energy is generated in the Sun. Nuclear fission involves the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei, while oxidation and reduction reactions typically involve the transfer of electrons between atoms, neither of which is the primary mechanism for energy production in the Sun. Therefore, option B, nuclear fusion, is the correct answer.