What path represents the pre-Main Sequence contraction phase known as the Hayashi track?
Answer
A relatively steep, rapid descent from the top-right corner.
The Hayashi track illustrates the early evolutionary phase of a star before it formally joins the Main Sequence by igniting stable hydrogen fusion in its core. During this protostar phase, the object is primarily contracting under gravity. On the H-R diagram, this contraction manifests as a relatively steep and rapid movement downwards (decreasing luminosity) while simultaneously moving towards the left (increasing temperature) until the star settles onto the diagonal Main Sequence band. This path represents the star rapidly shedding gravitational potential energy as heat until nuclear fusion stabilizes its structure.
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