How do the *size* and *mass* of a star generally change during its late expansion stage?
Answer
Size increases while mass generally decreases due to stellar winds
It is a common misconception to equate the massive increase in stellar radius with an increase in total mass. While the star swells to enormous proportions, its mass generally follows the opposite trend during this late evolutionary stage. The intense luminosity generated by the shell burning drives powerful stellar winds. These winds effectively expel significant amounts of the star’s outer gaseous layers into space, leading to a measurable loss of mass over time, especially noticeable in stars becoming supergiants.
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