Which of the following types of stars started out on the main sequence with the largest initial mass?
In Graph A, the curve peaks at 800 nm, in the red section of the visible light spectrum. In Graph B, the curve peaks at 550 nm, in the green section of the visible light spectrum. In Graph C, the curve peaks at 450 nm, in the blue section of the visible light spectrum. In Graph D, the curve peaks at 300 nm, in the violet section of the visible light spectrum.
A
B
C
D
A
To determine the type of stars that started out on the main sequence with the largest initial mass, you need to consider the concept of the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram. The HR diagram is a graph that plots the luminosity (brightness) of stars against their surface temperature or spectral type.
In this case, we can utilize the information given about the peaks of the graphs in different regions of the visible light spectrum. Generally, hotter stars have a higher surface temperature and emit more light in the blue and violet regions of the spectrum. Cooler stars, on the other hand, emit more light in the red region.
So, by looking at the given information, we can deduce that the star represented by Graph D, which has its curve peaking at 300 nm in the violet section of the visible light spectrum, indicates the hottest surface temperature among the options provided. Therefore, the stars represented in Graph D would have the largest initial mass when they started out on the main sequence.