Question

Which of the following statements about the rate of stellar evolution is true?

A) The more massive the original star, the faster is the evolution.
B) The chemical make-up of the original nebula is the major factor in deciding the rate of evolution, whatever the mass of the star.
C) Star mass has no bearing on stellar evolution since all stars evolve at the same rate, controlled by nuclear fusion.
D) The more massive the original star, the slower is the evolution since there is more material for thermonuclear burning

Answer 1

The statement that the more massive the original star, the faster its evolution is true. Massive stars burn through their nuclear fuel faster and evolve more rapidly, going through life stages from the main sequence to their end faster than their less massive counterparts.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement about the rate of stellar evolution is: The more massive the original star, the faster is the evolution.

Stellar evolution is greatly influenced by a star's mass. More massive stars consume their nuclear fuel more quickly and thus evolve at a faster rate compared to less massive stars. This rapid consumption of fuel leads them to leave the main sequence sooner and undergo subsequent stages of their life cycle at a quicker pace. For instance, stars with masses greater than about 8 solar masses can experience nuclear reactions that lead to the creation of new elements, a process known as nucleosynthesis, and their late stages of evolution occur in a relatively short time. Conversely, stars of lower mass evolve to the main sequence over a much longer period and generally have longer life spans, highlighting that massive stars go through all stages of evolution faster than low-mass stars do.