How does the mass of a star affect its expected lifespan?

The mass of a star plays a fundamental role in determining its expected lifespan due to the processes occurring in its core. Massive stars, having a greater gravitational pull, experience a faster rate of nuclear fusion than smaller stars. This increased fusion rate leads to a quicker consumption of the star's nuclear fuel, primarily hydrogen.

As a result, although massive stars may form from the same materials and start their lifecycle similarly to less massive stars, their greater mass leads them to exhaust their nuclear fuel much more quickly. Consequently, this rapid energy output shortens their overall lifespan, which can range from just a few million years for the most massive stars, while smaller stars like red dwarfs can live for tens to hundreds of billions of years.

In summary, the correct answer reflects the general understanding in astrophysics that greater mass in stars correlates with a significantly shorter lifespan due to faster nuclear fusion processes.