02. Does the Sun play any part in producing water? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Composed mostly of hydrogen (H), 74%; helium (He), 24%; and the third most abundant element, oxygen (O), less than 1%, our Sun is the single largest source of the elements that combine to make water in our solar system. The final fraction of the 1% that includes oxygen is composed of all of the other elements known to us. The Sun's gravitational fields and atmospheric phenomenon create solar winds, which extend outward from the Sun's atmosphere throughout the entire solar system. These solar winds are made up of gases and particles, mostly hydrogen and helium, but also contain isotopes (elements created from hydrogen and helium) and other elements like oxygen. Solar winds are all around us in space, and contain both hydrogen and oxygen, which are needed to create water. They flow, like winds, through a solar system and strike all objects. When solar winds strike something they may leave behind small amounts of the elements they carry. They tend to bounce off of planets that have atmospheres, like our Earth, but tend to strike and leave deposits on planets or objects that have little or no atmosphere, such as our Moon.

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Answer provided by Joe Rhemann

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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