On the microscopic level, the atoms in the burner move faster, and they run into the atoms in the pan, causing them to move faster. Conduction will not be important in main-sequence stars , simply because the atoms are not close enough together. Radiation is the process of transferring energy using photons. Another example is a black dog in the sun the dog s coat will warm up, because it is absorbing photons from the sun. Radiation is an important process in main-sequence stars .
Convection is the process of transferring energy by motion.
We previously discussed convection with respect to granulation on the surface of the sun. It is similar to boiling of water on the stove. Convection happens when the opacity, or the resistance to the flow of radiation, becomes high, as it should in the outer layers of the sun where the temperature is lower than in the core, and some atoms become are no longer ionized and can absorb and re-emit photons. Convection is also an important process in main-sequence stars . Before going on to applying what we have learned about how stars operate, let s review what we have learned.