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Old February 23rd 09, 09:31 PM posted to sci.environment,sci.physics,alt.culture.alaska,sci.geo.meteorology
Uncle Al Uncle Al is offline
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Default Power density of the Sun

kiloVolts wrote:
[snip]

since the radius of the Sun R, is almost infinite, the power
density per unit mass is infinitesimal.

[snip rest]

Learn some math. Core power generation is 0.3 W/m^3 within about 10%
of the sun's total volume of 1.412×10^27 m³

(0.3 W/m^3)(0.1)(1.412×10^27 m^3) = 4.24x10^25 watts

That is nowhere near either zero or infinity (even the small one).
Number check: solar constant at 1 AU = 1368 W/m^2

(1368 W/m^2)(4)(pi)[1.496x10^11 m/AU)]^2 = 3.85x10^26 watts

Consistent within a factor of 9. Good enough.

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