BRAINCAKEEvolution of a Low-Mass Star
A low-mass star has a mass between about 0.5 and 10 solar masses. The Sun is a low-mass star.
When most of the hydrogen in the core has been fused into helium, fusion in the core slows and the radiation pressure falls. Gravity makes the core contract and heat up. This heat starts hydrogen fusion in a shell around the core, and the outer layers of the star expand and cool. The star becomes a red giant: very large, with a cool (red) surface but a high luminosity.
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More in Astrophysics and Cosmology
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All 24 lessons in Astrophysics and Cosmology · All OCR A-level Physics topics