What happens to the lifespan of a star when its mass increases fourfold near the Sun's mass?
Answer
Its lifespan is reduced by over 100 times
The relationship between mass increase and lifespan reduction is profoundly non-linear, clearly demonstrated by comparing the consequences of slightly increased mass. If a star increases its mass by four times over the Sun (e.g., from $1 M_{ ext{suns}}$ to $5 M_{ ext{suns}}$), its luminosity increases significantly more—perhaps 100 to 200 times greater than the Sun's. This acceleration in consumption rate means the total time spent on the main sequence is truncated drastically. For instance, an increase of four times the mass can result in a lifespan reduction exceeding 100 times, illustrating that the rate of fuel consumption overshadows the increase in the initial fuel supply.
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