What is the end result of a low mass star?

Answer 1

The end result of a low mass star is a white dwarf.

When a low mass star, like our Sun, exhausts its nuclear fuel (hydrogen and then helium) in its core, it undergoes certain stages of stellar evolution. The first stage is the red giant phase, where the star swells up and increases in size as hydrogen fusion moves to a shell surrounding the core, causing the outer layers to expand.

Eventually, the red giant undergoes a process called planetary nebula formation. During this stage, the outer layers of the star are ejected into space, leaving behind a dense core called a white dwarf. This occurs due to the instability and pulsation of the helium and hydrogen shells, leading to a series of thermal pulses pushing the outer layers of the star away.

A white dwarf is the final stage of evolution for a low mass star. It is incredibly dense, with the mass of the star compressed into a volume roughly the size of the Earth. It no longer undergoes fusion and generates energy, so it gradually cools down and fades away over billions of years.