A star that is less massive than the Sun will have
A) a shorter lifetime since it has less fuel to burn
B) a longer lifetime since its central nuclear-burning core is cooler
C) a longer lifetime since although its overall mass is lower, the mass of its nuclear burning core is the higher
D) an identical lifetime as the Sun since all stars evolve at the same rate

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A star less massive than the Sun will have a longer lifetime because its core is cooler, leading to slower nuclear fusion rates and thus a slower consumption of its nuclear fuel.

A Star That Is Less Massive Than the Sun Will