<p>Stars less than about 0.3 solar masses are fully convective, so hydrogen throughout the entire star can be transported to the core and consumed.  At higher masses, the core is radiative, so only hydrogen that starts in the core is consumed.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-09T20:19:47.543Z
The core of stars more massive than about 1.3 times the Sun are convective.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-09T22:58:29.777Z
True, but the convection doesn't extend to the envelope, so no new hydrogen is added.
J. O'Brien Antognini
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-20T12:51:33.927Z
Do massive stars consume hydrogen in the shell during the red supergiant phase?
StellarExile
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-20T21:51:48.367Z
Yes, although the shell is not replenished with hydrogen from the envelope.
J. O'Brien Antognini
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-09T19:22:57.190Z
2017-12-09T19:22:57.190Z
J. O'Brien Antognini
<p>If I understand correctly, red dwarfs consume all of their hydrogen and will eventually shrink into helium white dwarfs, whereas the higher mass stars will consume a fair amount of their hydrogen fuel, not necessarily all of it. Correct me if I'm wrong.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-02T00:40:12.410Z
A greater fraction, yes.
ProfRob
<star><red-dwarf>
Do lower mass stars consume more hydrogen than higher mass stars?
StellarExile
# Do lower mass stars consume more hydrogen than higher mass stars?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-01)

If I understand correctly, red dwarfs consume all of their hydrogen and will eventually shrink into helium white dwarfs, whereas the higher mass stars will consume a fair amount of their hydrogen fuel, not necessarily all of it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

**Tags:** star, red-dwarf

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: A greater fraction, yes.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-12-09. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Stars less than about 0.3 solar masses are fully convective, so hydrogen throughout the entire star can be transported to the core and consumed. At higher masses, the core is radiative, so only hydrogen that starts in the core is consumed.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The core of stars more massive than about 1.3 times the Sun are convective.  
> **username_2**: True, but the convection doesn't extend to the envelope, so no new hydrogen is added.  
> **username_0**: Do massive stars consume hydrogen in the shell during the red supergiant phase?  
> **username_2**: Yes, although the shell is not replenished with hydrogen from the envelope.  

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