What is a reason the sun will one day become a red giant?

What is a reason the sun will one day become a red giant?

A: Roughly 5 billion years from now, the Sun will exhaust the hydrogen fuel in its core and start burning helium, forcing its transition into a red giant star. During this shift, its atmosphere will expand out to somewhere around 1 astronomical unit — the current average Earth-Sun distance.

Why do red giants grow?

As the star expands its surface cools and becomes redder – a red giant is formed. When all hydrogen in a star is fused to helium the core contracts and core temperature increases. This increased core temperature and pressure causes helium to fuse into carbon via the triple alpha process.

Why does the sun become a red giant and not a blue giant?

Helium is heavier than hydrogen, and burning it causes the star to expand greatly in size and become a red giant. …

Will the sun swallow the Earth?

The most probable fate of the planet is absorption by the Sun in about 7.5 billion years, after the star has entered the red giant phase and expanded beyond the planet’s current orbit.

Will the sun explode?

Scientists have conducted a lot of researches and study to estimate that the Sun is not going to explode for another 5 to 7 billion years. When the Sun does cease to exist, it will first expand in size and use up all the hydrogen present at its core, and then eventually shrink down and become a dying star.

Can a star become a red giant more than once?

Can a star become a red giant more than once? Yes, before and after the helium flash. What is true of a planetary nebulae? A(n) _________ represents a relatively peaceful mass loss as a red giant becomes a white dwarf.

What happens when Sun becomes red giant?

In approximately 5 billion years, the sun will begin the helium-burning process, turning into a red giant star. When it expands, its outer layers will consume Mercury and Venus, and reach Earth. The changing sun may provide hope to other planets, however.