You discover a binary star system in which one member is a 15 solar-mass main-sequence star and the other star is a 10 solar-mass giant. Why should you be surprised, at least at first? A. It doesn't make sense to find a giant in a binary star system. B. The two stars in a binary system should both be at the same point in stellar evolution; that is, they should either both be main-sequence stars or both be giants. C. The two stars should be the same age, so the more massive one should have become a giant first. D. The odds of ever finding two such massive stars in the same binary system are so small as to make it inconceivable that such a system could be discovered. E. A star with a mass of 15 solar-mass is too big to be a main-sequence star.

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**Binary Star System Surprise**

When you discover a binary star system where one member is a 15 solar-mass main-sequence star and the other is a 10 solar-mass giant, why should you be surprised, at least at first?

- **A.** It doesn't make sense to find a giant in a binary star system.
- **B.** The two stars in a binary system should both be at the same point in stellar evolution; that is, they should either both be main-sequence stars or both be giants.
- **C.** The two stars should be the same age, so the more massive one should have become a giant first.
- **D.** The odds of ever finding two such massive stars in the same binary system are so small as to make it inconceivable that such a system could be discovered.
- **E.** A star with a mass of 15 solar-mass is too big to be a main-sequence star.
Transcribed Image Text:**Binary Star System Surprise** When you discover a binary star system where one member is a 15 solar-mass main-sequence star and the other is a 10 solar-mass giant, why should you be surprised, at least at first? - **A.** It doesn't make sense to find a giant in a binary star system. - **B.** The two stars in a binary system should both be at the same point in stellar evolution; that is, they should either both be main-sequence stars or both be giants. - **C.** The two stars should be the same age, so the more massive one should have become a giant first. - **D.** The odds of ever finding two such massive stars in the same binary system are so small as to make it inconceivable that such a system could be discovered. - **E.** A star with a mass of 15 solar-mass is too big to be a main-sequence star.
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