Question

the hertzsprung - russell diagram shows the positions of stars based on several different characteristics. temperature is plotted on the horizontal axis. which statement is correct?
low mass stars are cooler than high mass stars.
the sun is hotter than white dwarfs
white dwarfs are cooler than red super giants.
low mass stars are hotter than high mass stars.

Explanation:

1. Analyze "Low mass stars are cooler than high mass stars": High - mass stars have higher core temperatures due to stronger gravitational compression, leading to more intense fusion and higher surface temperatures. So low - mass stars are generally cooler than high - mass stars. This statement is correct.
2. Analyze "The sun is hotter than white dwarfs": White dwarfs are the remnants of stars, and they have very high surface temperatures (often tens of thousands of Kelvin), while the Sun's surface temperature is about 5800 K. So the Sun is not hotter than white dwarfs. This statement is incorrect.
3. Analyze "White dwarfs are cooler than red super giants": Red supergiants have relatively low surface temperatures (typically around 3000 - 4000 K), and white dwarfs have much higher surface temperatures (tens of thousands of K). So white dwarfs are hotter, not cooler, than red supergiants. This statement is incorrect.
4. Analyze "Low mass stars are hotter than high mass stars": As mentioned before, high - mass stars have higher temperatures. So this statement is incorrect.

Answer:

The correct statement is "Low mass stars are cooler than high mass stars." (The option with this text, assuming it is one of the blue - boxed options as per the image layout, likely the top - most blue box option with this text)