Which of the following statements about stars that produce similar spectral patterns is true?

Question

A.

The stars have about the same mass.
B.

The stars are about the same size.
C.

The stars are the same age.
D.

The stars are made of similar elements.

Answer 1

The correct statement is:

D. The stars are made of similar elements.

Stars that produce similar spectral patterns typically have similar temperatures, which correlates with their elemental composition. Their spectra arise from the absorption lines of specific elements, so similar spectral patterns indicate that the stars have similar elemental abundances. However, they can differ in mass, size, and age despite having similar spectral characteristics.