The main component of the Sun is hydrogen, which makes up about 73-74% of its mass. The second most abundant element is helium, accounting for roughly 24-25% of the Sun's mass. All other heavier elements combined constitute only about 1-2% of the Sun's mass
. Hydrogen in the Sun undergoes nuclear fusion in the core, where it fuses into helium, producing the energy that powers the Sun
. This fusion process gradually increases the helium fraction in the core over time. In summary:
- Hydrogen: ~73-74% by mass (main component)
- Helium: ~24-25% by mass
- Other elements (oxygen, carbon, iron, etc.): ~1-2% by mass
This composition is typical for stars and reflects the primordial material from the Big Bang and earlier stellar generations
