Iron in Sun

Why in the news?

New research is finding that theories of atomic physics have underestimated iron’s contribution to the sun’s temperature profile.

Iron in Sun - Iron (Fe) makes up about 0.14% of the Sun's mass, which is a small fraction compared to hydrogen (~74%) and helium (~24%).
Location - Iron is found mostly in the Sun’s core and outer layers (photosphere, corona) in ionized forms.

Source - Iron in the Sun comes from nucleosynthesis in earlier generations of stars, which exploded as supernovae and contributed elements to the solar system.
Role in Opacity - Iron plays a crucial role in absorbing and scattering radiation, influencing energy transfer within the Sun.
Role in Temperature Profile - Iron opacity affects temperature, density and fusion rates inside the Sun.
So, the new findings of higher opacity of iron in the sun impacts the present solar models.

Composition of the Sun
Element	By Mass (%)	Key Role
Hydrogen (H)	74%	Primary fuel for nuclear fusion, produces energy.
Helium (He)	24%	Fusion product, contributes to Sun’s stability.
Oxygen (O)	~0.8%	Influences solar opacity, involved in energy transport.
Carbon (C)	~0.3%	Important in nucleosynthesis, affects opacity.
Neon (Ne)	~0.2%	Present in the solar atmosphere, influences radiation absorption.
Iron (Fe)	~0.14%	Major contributor to opacity, affects energy transfer.