If the sun does explode in the far future, what would make it explode?

Question

If the sun does explode in the far future, what would make it explode?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Stars generate energy in their cores, and this inflates the rest of the gas in the star like a giant balloon. More massive stars produce more energy and inflate to incredible sizes – near the ends of their lives they can inflate to preposterous volumes larger than Mars’ orbit.

Large stars explode when their core suddenly stops producing enough energy to keep the rest of the star inflated. They collapse inward at hypersonic speed and the catastrophic shockwave when the innards of the star crumple into core obliterates it.

The sun is too small for this, and will fizzle out with a sad stellar fart instead.