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Originally Posted by MageB420666
The one thing that I'm not sure about is if the Earth will fall into the sun when this happens, because surely the change in size and density of the sun would cause changes in it's gravity. Would the earth fall into the sun, fly out of orbit, or would the changes forces maintain a balance and the earth continue to orbit?
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I think it would fly out of orbit. The volume occupied by a star is dependant on the inward force of gravity on its gasses and the ourward force of the fusion reactions occuring inside the star. As the star ages it is losing mass, therefore the pressure created by the fusion reactions begin to win over the gravitational forces pulling the gasses inward. At this point the gravitational forces acting on the Earth will be much lesser than they are right now, so we should fly out of orbit.
I'm not sure if I'm correct, but I think I'm on the right track.