What two observable properties, when plotted on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, are consequences of mass and age?

Answer

Surface temperature and total luminosity

The Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram is a fundamental tool in stellar astronomy that plots observable characteristics of stars against each other. The two primary parameters charted on this diagram are the star's surface temperature (which correlates directly with its observed color—blue/hot to red/cool) and its total luminosity, which signifies the star's absolute energy output. Both properties are direct manifestations of the star's current evolutionary stage, which itself is overwhelmingly dictated by its initial mass and its subsequent age. For example, a massive star moves across the H-R diagram dramatically: starting hot and luminous on the main sequence, it expands into a supergiant, moving toward lower surface temperatures (rightward) while maintaining or increasing luminosity due to its massive increase in surface area (radius).

What two observable properties, when plotted on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, are consequences of mass and age?

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