The light radiated from the Sun's surface reaches Earth in about 8 minutes. However, the energy of this light was released by fusion in the Sun's core about
A)several hundred thousand years ago.
B)8 minutes ago.
C)several thousand years ago.
D)several hundred years ago.
E)11 years ago.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The process of fusion in the Sun's core takes a long time to reach the surface and release energy in the form of light. It is estimated that the photons of light created in the core can take up to several hundred thousand years to diffuse out to the surface. Therefore, the energy released by fusion in the Sun's core was not created 8 minutes ago, but rather several hundred thousand years ago.

The Light Radiated from the Sun's Surface Reaches Earth in About