Here's a breakdown:
* Red Giant: A red giant is a star in its later stages of life. It has expanded significantly and cooled down, becoming redder in color.
* Outer Layers: These layers consist of lighter elements like hydrogen and helium, which are ejected into space as a planetary nebula.
* Core Shrinking: The core, primarily composed of carbon and oxygen, collapses under its own gravity. This intense compression generates tremendous heat and pressure.
* White Dwarf: The dense, hot, and very small core left behind is called a white dwarf. It no longer undergoes nuclear fusion and is slowly radiating away its heat and energy.
White dwarfs are incredibly dense, packing the mass of our Sun into a sphere roughly the size of the Earth. They are extremely faint and gradually cool down over billions of years.
