A star having the same mass of Earth's Sun is likely to first evolve into a ________ before becoming a ________.
A)white dwarf; red giant
B)red giant; protostar
C)red giant; white dwarf
D)black hole; neutron star

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A star with the same mass as the Sun will go through several stages of evolution. It will start as a main-sequence star, fusing hydrogen in its core. As hydrogen runs out, it will start to fuse helium, and the energy output will cause the outer layers of the star to expand and cool, becoming a red giant. Eventually, the outer layers will be shed, forming a planetary nebula, and the core will remain as a white dwarf. Therefore, the most likely scenario for a Sun-like star is to become a red giant before becoming a white dwarf.

A Star Having the Same Mass of Earth's Sun Is