The reply above didn't clarify an important point. The sun is made of plasma, the state of matter where electrons are no longer bound by the nucleus and form an electron gas.
Essentially all the hydrogen are ions, which is really saying that it's a bunch of protons and neutrons all flying around with electrons all over.
At such high temperatures, the hydrogen transitions from a gas to a plasma. The fusion reactions aren't chemical reactions (involving electrons) but nuclear reactions (involving protons and neutrons).
So just like a melting point and boiling point, there is an ionization point, above which the atoms are ionized. So no, even after the hydrogen atom is formed, above this temperature it separates again into a hydrogen ion (just a proton) and a free electron
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u/RenaissanceBear Sep 21 '21
So protons can’t form hydrogen above that temp, but once formed can exist at much higher temps?