Question

What will be the mass of the Sun at the end of its asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase, due to mass loss to space by its stellar wind?

A) still almost 1 solar mass since mass loss is negligible for a low-mass star like the Sun
B) between 0.1 and 0.2 solar mass
C) about 0.8 solar mass
D) about 0.5 solar mass

Answer 1

The Sun is expected to lose about 45% of its initial mass during its AGB phase, leaving it with a mass of about 0.5 solar masses at the end of this phase.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking about the mass the Sun will have at the end of its asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. During this phase, a star like the Sun is expected to lose a significant portion of its mass due to stellar winds. Specifically, the Sun is projected to lose about 45% of its initial mass over this period. Given that the current mass of the Sun is about 2.0 × 10³⁰ kg, a 45% reduction would leave the Sun with approximately 0.55 times its original mass. Therefore, the closest answer to the question is about 0.5 solar mass, which corresponds with option D).