Question

What happens when the core of a low-mass star runs out of helium?
A. The core contracts, heats up, and carbon burning begins.
B. The core cools off.
C. Helium continues burning in a shell around the core.

Answer 1

@563blackghost

I know the answer. Just letting you exercise your interest. If you just want to know, I can tell you.

Answer 2

It would contract in on itself and begin to heat up thus creating heavier elements, so carbon. It would be A cx

Answer 3

A is the attractive answer, but it is C.

Answer 4

Notice the clever wording of "the core" and "runs out of helium."

Answer 5

The core does do helium into carbon though.

Answer 6

mhm, i know the core doesn't cool. I thought the helium shell is after the process of carbon burning happens o-o

Answer 7

Have you heard of degeneracy pressure?

Answer 8

ive heard of the word before, but i dun really know what it means, pls tell meh *takes out notebook*

Answer 9

So there are three limits to stellar mass (or what I believe they were going for, the size of a star, that's just what the section of the slide was titled).

Thermal pressure, radiation pressure, and degeneracy pressure.

The latter is the one common to low mass stars. It is created by electrons going at high velocities, which is what impedes the star from contracting.

Answer 10

I can check if they posted the presentation.

Answer 11

I don't want to go in-depth because I just learned this today, lol.

Answer 12

Ooo i see

Answer 13

Hmm, today's slide isn't posted by Monday's slide talks about it.