What would a H-R diagram of a young star cluster show?
A)high mass stars that have not reached the main sequence yet
B)low mass stars that have not reached the main sequence yet
C)mainly giant stars, since most stars have left the main sequence
D)no stars, since none have reached the main sequence yet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A young star cluster would have mainly low mass stars that have not reached the main sequence yet. High mass stars typically form and evolve faster than low mass stars, so they would have already reached the main sequence, while low mass stars take longer to form and reach the main sequence. Therefore, a young star cluster would mainly consist of stars that are still in the process of contracting and heating up before reaching the main sequence, showing up as a diagonal band on an H-R diagram.

What Would a H-R Diagram of a Young Star Cluster