Suppose that Jupiter had never existed, and there was no planet in our solar system between Mars and Saturn. How would we expect this to have affected Earth?
A) Earth would have been hit by many more comet impacts.
B) Earth's orbit would have been unstable, and our planet would have spiraled into the Sun.
C) There would not have been any effect, since Jupiter is in the outer solar system and Earth is in the inner solar system.
D) There would be no water on Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jupiter plays a crucial role in protecting the inner planets, including Earth, from comet impacts. The planet's strong gravity acts as a gravitational shield that deflects or absorbs comets and asteroids that might otherwise collide with Earth. Without Jupiter, there would be fewer objects to absorb or deflect comets, and as a result, Earth would have been hit by many more impacts, potentially causing mass extinctions and other catastrophic events. The absence of Jupiter could have also affected the orbits of other planets, leading to instability in the solar system, but this is less certain than the increased comet impact scenario.

Suppose That Jupiter Had Never Existed, and There Was No