We currently describe the Sun as a Main Sequence star with temperature 6000 K. O

Question

We currently describe the Sun as a Main Sequence star with temperature 6000 K. Over the course of its lifetime, it will evolve and it will transform into a different type of star at different stages of its lifetime.

Will the Sun always be a 6000 K star during its history? Why or why not?

Pick three stages of the Sun's post-Main Sequence evolution and give the Sun's approximate color, temperature, and luminosity. Feel free to consult an H-R diagram to get actual numbers.

Do you expect the Sun's mass to change? If so, when will the change happen and how? If not, why not?

Explanation / Answer

Stars continuously evolve during their life cycle. So, sun will also evolve and move out of its main sequence. At present, it continuosly fuses hydogen to form helium. So, it will not have the temperature of 6000 Kelvins throughout. The sun is a main sequence star at present. At the end of its phase as a main sequence star, it will leave the main sequence by burning hydrogen at the very core.

At he end of the mian sequence cycle, our star moves uo in the Red Giant Branch of the H-R Diagram. A very negligible portion of the sun collapses into the White Dwarfs branch at the end of the main sequence. Since, hydrogen is completely fused in the core. WHile the sun moves up the red giant branch, an increasing Helium core is encountered which is continuosly contracting. As a result, the surroinding shell where Hydrogen fusion occurs is continuosly heated up.

The luminosity and temperature of main sequence stars is related to its mass. It has luminosity of 102 and temperature range 3000-6000 Kelvin. Luminosity is determined in accordance with the Stefan-Boltzmann Law which states that luminosity is directly proportional to T4.

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