If a star like the Sun did not have the ability to create energy by nuclear fusi

Question

If a star like the Sun did not have the ability to create energy by nuclear fusion,

Choose one:A. its antimatter and matter would have recombined, making it disappear.B. it would last longer because it would not be radiating away its stored energy.C. it could have sustained itself by nuclear fission as long as it was not a first-generation star.D. thermal energy from gravitational contraction would have sustained it until now, but its life expectancy would be much shorter.E. it would have exhausted its energy long ago.

Explanation / Answer

D. thermal energy from gravitational contraction would have sustained it until now, but its life expectancy would be much shorter

Prior to nuclear fusion concept , gravitational contraction (the Kelvin-Helmholtz mechanism) was proposed as the  source of energy for stars.It is observed that some stars emit   energy by gravitational contraction when they were on Hayashi track,but this will happen only for a short period.

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