What future evolutionary state awaits the Sun after it exhausts its core hydrogen fuel?
Answer
It will eventually shrink into a white dwarf.
The fate of a star is determined largely by its initial mass. For a star of the Sun's mass, once the hydrogen fuel in its core is completely exhausted, it will evolve off the main sequence. This evolution involves expansion into a giant phase, followed by the shedding of outer layers. Ultimately, the remaining core, having ceased fusion, will contract under gravity until it stabilizes as a white dwarf. This endpoint contrasts sharply with larger stars which may evolve into supergiants or collapse catastrophically.
Related Questions
What specific classification defines the Sun as a G-type main-sequence star?What physical process distinguishes the Sun as a star from large planets like Jupiter?In terms of luminosity compared to its stellar peers, how does our Sun generally rank?What is the calculated mass of the Sun in kilograms, according to astronomical measurements?How far is the Earth from the Sun when measured in Astronomical Units (AU)?What classification describes the stage in the H-R diagram where the Sun spends most of its existence?What is the approximate core temperature of the Sun in degrees Celsius?What specific stellar type is far less massive than the Sun and burns fuel for trillions of years?What process drives the Sun's energy production, fusing 600 million tons of hydrogen per second?What future evolutionary state awaits the Sun after it exhausts its core hydrogen fuel?