What is the main factor that influences how long a star burns?

The mass of the star. Larger stars have shorter lifespans.
The mass of the star. Larger stars have longer lifespans.
How close the star is to other stars.
How close the star is to a black hole.

Question

What is the main factor that influences how long a star burns?

 The mass of the star. Larger stars have shorter lifespans. 
 The mass of the star. Larger stars have longer lifespans. 
 How close the star is to other stars. 
 How close the star is to a black hole.

anonymous · Answer

i would say " The mass of the star. Larger stars have longer lifespans. "

anonymous · Answer

I guess that the first time and got it wrong :(

anonymous · Answer

second guess?

anonymous · Answer

ya i agree with doom here

jfraser · Answer

stellar lifespan goes counter to intuition: larger stars burn their fuel faster than smaller stars. See the article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_sequence