* Fuel Consumption: Massive stars have a much larger mass, meaning they have a lot more hydrogen fuel to burn. However, they burn this fuel at an incredibly high rate due to their intense gravity. This rapid burning results in a shorter lifespan.
* Nuclear Fusion: The core of a massive star is much hotter and denser than that of the Sun. This allows them to fuse heavier elements, like helium and carbon, which requires even more energy. This process consumes fuel even faster.
* Stellar Evolution: Massive stars progress through their life cycle much more quickly. They rapidly evolve into red supergiants and then explode as supernovae, whereas stars like the Sun will become red giants and eventually white dwarfs.
Rough Estimates:
* Sun: Estimated lifespan of about 10 billion years.
* Massive Star (10 times the Sun's mass): Estimated lifespan of only a few million years.
In summary: The more massive a star is, the faster it burns through its fuel and the shorter its lifetime.
