Final answer:
The 1 solar mass star will take the longest to evolve from a protostar to a compact object, as it burns fuel at a slower pace compared to more massive stars.
Step-by-step explanation:
The star that will take the longest to evolve from a protostar to a compact object is D. 1 solar mass star. In stellar evolution, higher mass stars, such as those with 5, 10, or 100 solar masses, consume their nuclear fuel more rapidly and evolve much faster due to higher pressures and temperatures in their cores. Conversely, lower mass stars, like a 1 solar mass star, burn their fuel at a much slower rate. Consequently, their journey through the various stages of stellar evolution, from the main sequence to the red giant and then to a compact object (white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole), takes a considerably longer time. For instance, our Sun, which is a 1 solar mass star, is currently about 4.5 billion years old and still in the main sequence phase of evolution. It will take several more billion years before it begins to transform into a red giant. In contrast, a 10 solar mass star will become a red giant and subsequently a neutron star or black hole in a much shorter time frame.