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Could a star gain more mass from elements that "collide" with it? If a ×-sized meteor crashed into the sun, does it ultimately accrete to the sun?
stargazer3 said:While it is possible to gain weight for a star, this change is usually insignificant. One common exception happens in binary systems. Two stars evolve, one of them starts to enter a giant phase, and eventioally, as it's radius overflows the Roche lobe of a pair, it starts accreting mass on it's companion. And there you have it, a huge increase in mass of a second star! There's only one other realistic example of huge mass increase I can think of: in globular star clusters there is a possibility of stellar collision, which can lead either to a black hole or to a larger star.
Chronos said:A star steadily looses mass via fusion, but, also accretes mass. There is a limited amount of mass for any star to accrete, so the odds are very good it will eventually exhaust its fuel source.
acesuv said:So if a star were to consume enough mass, it could sustain fusion longer than it normally could?
Yes, it is possible for a star to gain mass throughout its life. This is primarily due to the process of accretion, where the star gathers material from its surrounding environment such as gas and dust clouds.
A star can gain mass through the process of accretion, where it gathers material from its surrounding environment such as gas and dust clouds. Additionally, stars can also gain mass through mergers with other stars or by absorbing material from a companion star.
There is technically no limit to how much mass a star can gain, but there are factors that can prevent a star from gaining too much mass. For example, as a star grows in mass, its gravitational pull becomes stronger, making it harder for it to accrete more material. Additionally, the radiation pressure from the star's core can also limit its growth.
Yes, a star can lose mass throughout its life through various processes such as solar winds, where the star's outer layers are blown away by radiation, and mass loss through stellar winds during the later stages of a star's life. Some stars also lose mass through explosive events such as supernovae.
If a star gains too much mass, it can lead to instability and potentially catastrophic events such as a supernova, where the star explodes and releases a massive amount of energy. Additionally, a star with too much mass may also have a shorter lifespan due to the increased energy production and consumption.