Which type of star would have the longest lifespan?

Question

A. none of the options, we cannot determine the lifespan without its composition

B. High mass star

C. Medium mass star

D. Low Mass star

Answer 1

D) A Low Mass star would have the longest lifespan because low mass stars go through nuclear fusion at a much slower rate than stars with high masses. Basically, the lower the mass of a star, the slower it consumes its "fuel."

A great way to make sense of this is to think about people and calories. In general, people with more body mass need to consume more calories per day to maintain their weight than people with less body mass. For example, a 250lb (~113kg) football player needs to eat a lot more calories than a 110lb (~50kg) teacher in order to avoid losing weight.