How long might an O-type star, 10 solar masses, remain on the main sequence?
Answer
20 million years
Stars with significantly greater mass possess stronger gravitational compression, resulting in much hotter cores and an accelerated rate of nuclear fusion. This rapid energy expenditure leads to extremely short lifespans on the main sequence. Specifically, a heftier O-type star, possessing 10 solar masses, is predicted to burn through its primary fuel supply and depart the main sequence in as little as 20 million years. This timeframe is vastly shorter compared to the 10 billion years allocated to a star like the Sun, illustrating the 'live hard and die young' characteristic of high-mass stars.
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