Home > Astronomy > Life and Death of Stars

How does the life cycle of a massive star differ from the life of an average star?

Answer 1

Luke Allen

The difference mainly lies in what they eventually become.

The average star, like our own, turns into a white dwarf.

Average Star

White Dwarf

A massive star becomes either a neutron star or black hole.

Massive Star

Neutron Star

Black Hole

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Josiah Adams

Massive stars undergo nuclear fusion of heavier elements and end their lives in supernova explosions, which could produce neutron stars or black holes; average stars, like the Sun, undergo fusion of hydrogen into helium and end their lives as white dwarfs. These are the main differences between the life cycles of massive and average stars.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.