Why is a white star hotter than a yellow star?

A white star is hotter than a yellow star primarily due to its surface temperature. The color of a star indicates its temperature, with blue and white stars being hotter than yellow, orange, or red stars. White stars typically have surface temperatures ranging from about 7,500 to 10,000 Kelvin, while yellow stars, like our Sun, have temperatures around 5,500 to 6,000 Kelvin. This difference in temperature is a result of the star's mass, age, and stage in the stellar lifecycle.