Question

properties of stars end-of-lesson test
5 what determines the color of a star?
composition of elements
distance from earth
surface temperature
mass
skip 4/10 complete

Explanation:

To determine the color of a star, we analyze each option:

• "Composition of elements": While a star's composition affects other properties, it's not the primary factor for color.
• "Distance from Earth": Distance affects apparent brightness, not the intrinsic color of the star.
• "Surface temperature": Stars emit light across a spectrum, and their surface temperature determines the peak wavelength of this emission, which corresponds to their color (e.g., hot stars are blue-white, cooler ones are red).
• "Mass": Mass influences a star's evolution and other properties, but not its color directly.

Answer:

C. Surface temperature