The sun is primarily in a plasma state of matter. Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter, alongside solid, liquid, and gas.
In the sun, the immense heat causes hydrogen and helium atoms to become ionized, meaning they lose their electrons and form a mixture of ions and free electrons. This ionized gas, or plasma, is responsible for the sun’s ability to produce light and heat through nuclear fusion reactions at its core.
Unlike solid or liquid matter, plasma does not have a definite shape or volume and can conduct electricity and create magnetic fields. The sun’s plasma is in constant motion due to the extreme temperatures, reaching millions of degrees at the core, leading to the dynamic processes that occur on the sun’s surface, such as solar flares and sunspots.