What term describes the final state of the star's remnant core after the red giant phase, which has fused nearly all its available core helium?
Answer
A white dwarf composed mostly of inert carbon and oxygen
The red giant phase is followed by helium core burning (for Sun-like stars), where helium fuses into carbon and oxygen. Once this core helium is largely consumed, the star sheds its massive outer hydrogen envelope via stellar winds, forming a planetary nebula. The remaining, hot, inert core constitutes the final stellar remnant. This remnant is known as a white dwarf, and its composition reflects the products of the preceding fusion stages, being composed predominantly of carbon and oxygen nuclei that no longer sustain fusion.
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