Question

How does the life of a high-mass star differ from the Sun's life? (select all correct answers)

a. It lives a shorter time on the main sequence.

b. As a red giant or supergiant, it makes elements heavier than carbon.

c. When it dies, it explodes in a tremendous supernova explosion.

d. It forms much faster.

Answer 1

High-mass stars have shorter main-sequence lifetimes, can fuse elements heavier than carbon, and end their lives in a supernova explosion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The life of a high-mass star differs from the Sun's life in several ways:

1. It lives a shorter time on the main sequence. High-mass stars have shorter main-sequence lifetimes compared to low-mass stars. They spend only a few million years on the main sequence, while a star like the Sun remains there for roughly 10 billion years.
2. As a red giant or supergiant, it makes elements heavier than carbon. When more massive stars become red giants, they can fuse elements heavier than carbon, such as helium, into even heavier elements like oxygen, nitrogen, and iron.
3. When it dies, it explodes in a tremendous supernova explosion. Massive stars end their lives in a supernova explosion, which is a catastrophic event that releases an enormous amount of energy and can outshine an entire galaxy temporarily.