Which of the following are the best candidates to search for planets that might harbor extraterrestrial life?
A)halo stars, because planets can form in isolation from disruptive stellar encounters
B)low mass stars (less than one- tenth of the mass of the Sun), because these are the most common stars in our galaxy
C)binary stars, because they provide twice as much energy to promote biology
D)massive stars (greater than twice the mass of the Sun)because they provide more energy to promote biology
E)solar- mass stars, because they have both a large habitable zone and a long stellar lifetime.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Solar-mass stars are the best candidates for searching for planets that might harbor extraterrestrial life because they have both a large habitable zone (the range of distances from the star where liquid water can exist on a planet's surface) and a long stellar lifetime (around 10 billion years). This gives life more time to evolve and increases the likelihood of detecting signs of life. While low mass stars are the most common in our galaxy, they have a smaller habitable zone and may produce more stellar flares that could harm potential life. Massive stars have a shorter lifetime and potentially habitable planets would need to be closer to avoid being stripped of their atmospheres. Binary stars could also provide challenges for the stability of planetary orbits. Halo stars are not as good candidates as they are typically older and have lower metallicity, meaning lower amounts of heavier elements necessary for planet formation.

Which of the Following Are the Best Candidates to Search