How does the life cycle of a low-mass star differ from the life-cycle of a high-mass star?

Answer 1

matter in stellar nebula decides the life of star

less amount of hydrogen results in average star

more amount of hydrogen results in massive star

Edit: A very brief summary of the two main star life cycles:

Low mass stars (like our Sun): Main Sequence Star, Red Giant, White Dwarf.

High mass stars: Main Sequence Star, Red Giant, Supergiant, Supernova, then

either a neutron star or a black hole.

(Red dwarf stars should just go straight to the white dwarf stage after their time on the Main Sequence.)

Answer 2

A star with a low mass will go through these stages:

1. Protostar nebula

2. Main sequence (as a red dwarf)

3. Red giant

4. Planetary nebula

5. White dwarf

(6. Black dwarf is theorized to occur after white dwarf)

Answer 3

The life of a star is longer than a human lifetime. Big stars will shine anywhere from ten to a hundred million years. Smaller stars like our sun will shine 8 to 10 billion years on the main sequence, then another 8 to 10 billion years as a white dwarf. Small red dwarfs can last a hundred billion years or more.

The typical human averages close to 80 years. Some peter out much quicker, while a few may stretch on a decade or so into their second century.

In the case of our sun, it's something like 185 million times longer.

Answer 4

1. Far out in space a cold, dark cloud of gas and dust start to contract under the pull of its own gravity.

2. As the cloud shrinks and heats up, it breaks into smaller clumps, each of which will form a protostar.

3. Each protostar is shrouded in gas and dust which flattens into a disc as the protostar spins.

4. Eventually, the contracting protostar bursts into life and strong jets of gas escape from either side of the disc.

5. Dust grains condense and stick together in the disc around the protostar, and may eventually form planets.

6. The young fully formed star is now fusing hydrogen to make helium on the main sequence.

7. As its hydrogen fuel runs out, the star expands to become a red super giant.

8. The core is now hotter. The star uses its helium to make carbon and oxygen.

9. Nuclear reactions produce heavier and heavier elements, until a core of iron builds up.

10. Eventually, the iron core collapses and the star explodes as a brilliant supernovas.

11. Most of the star's matter is blown away by the supernova. The star's collapsed may survive as a neutron star or a black hole.

Answer 5

The major difference is that a low-mass star lives much longer. The reason for this is that a high-mass star gets hotter, is much brighter, and uses up its fuel much faster. The difference can be quite dramatic, with some stars being millions of times brighter than others.

Also, assuming the star doesn't acquire additional mass, a low-mass star will end up as a white dwarf, while more massive stars will end up as a neutron star, or in the case of the most massive stars, a black hole.

Answer 6

high mass stars are bigger than low mass stars

Another Answer:

High mass start tend to use up their hydrogen fuel much faster than low mass stars.

Answer 7

Low mass stars last lots longer.