Comets change as they approach the Sun in their orbits. Which of the following statements about a comet approaching the Sun is FALSE?
A) the solid water ice in a comet begins to evaporate just beyond the orbit of Mars
B) comets close to the Sun can evaporate enough material to become as large or larger than Jupiter
C) the gravity of the comet nucleus holds on to the evaporated material, and it all eventually freezes back into the nucleus
D) when the ice evaporates, some dust frozen into the ice is freed up to join the comet's coma and tail
E) the evaporation is not always even, but can occur in spurts (where jets of material are seen moving away from the comet nucleus)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravity of a comet nucleus is not strong enough to retain the evaporated material, so it does not freeze back into the nucleus. Instead, this material forms the comet's coma and tail, which are lost to space.

Comets Change as They Approach the Sun in Their Orbits