What happens to a low mass star at the end of its life?

A low mass star, which typically has a mass less than about eight times that of the Sun, goes through a specific evolutionary process as it reaches the end of its life. After exhausting the hydrogen fuel in its core, it will expand into a red giant. During this phase, helium fusion occurs in a shell around the core, and ultimately, once the core has accumulated enough mass, it will not have the heat and pressure necessary to start fusing heavier elements.

As the outer layers are shed, the remaining core contracts and heats up. This leftover core, which is primarily composed of carbon and oxygen, is what becomes a white dwarf. White dwarfs no longer undergo fusion; instead, they gradually cool and fade over time. This process emphasizes that for low mass stars, the outcome is a white dwarf, representing the remnants of their stellar evolution.

This differs from the fates of more massive stars, which can lead to phenomena like supernovae, neutron stars, or more extensive red giants due to the higher pressures and temperatures needed for more complex fusion processes. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the characteristic and well-understood end stage of a low mass star's life cycle.