* Gravity: The Sun's immense gravity pulls all its mass inwards, creating tremendous pressure in its core.
* Fusion: This intense pressure and heat forces hydrogen atoms to fuse together, creating helium and releasing a massive amount of energy in the process. This is called nuclear fusion.
* Energy release: This energy is released as light and heat, radiating outwards from the Sun's core.
In simpler terms: Think of the Sun like a giant, self-sustaining nuclear bomb. It's constantly burning hydrogen into helium, releasing a massive amount of heat and light as a byproduct.
This process is what makes the Sun a star, and it's the reason why our solar system is bathed in warmth and light.
