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In our SCUBA survey of Perseus, we find that the fraction of protostellarcores increases towards higher masses and the most massive cores are allprotostellar. In this paper we consider the possible explanations of thisapparent mass dependence in the evolutionary status of these cores, and theimplications for protostellar evolution and the mapping of the embedded coremass function (CMF) onto the stellar IMF. We consider the following potentialcauses: dust temperature; selection effects in the submillimetre and in themid-infrared observations used for pre/protostellar classification; confusionand multiplicity; transient cores; and varying evolutionary timescales. Wedevelop Core Mass Evolution Diagrams (CMEDs) to investigate how the massevolution of individual cores maps onto the observed CMF. Two physicalmechanisms -- short timescales for the evolution of massive cores, andcontinuing accumulation of mass onto protostellar cores -- best explain therelative excess of protostars in high mass cores and the rarity of massivestarless cores. In addition, confusion both increases the likelihood that aprotostar is identified within a core, and increases mass assigned to a core.The observed pre/protostellar mass distributions are consistent with fasterevolution and a shorter lifetime for higher-mass prestellar cores. We rule outlonger timescales for higher-mass prestellar cores. The differences in theprestellar and protostellar mass distributions imply that the prestellar CMF(and possibly the combined pre+protostellar CMF) should be steeper than theIMF. A steeper prestellar CMF can be reconciled with the observed similarity ofthe CMF and the IMF in some regions if a second opposing effect is present,such as the fragmentation of massive cores into multiple systems.

Star formation in Perseus. IV. Mass dependent evolution of dense cores