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's orbit would have been unstable, and our planet would have spiraled into the Sun.
B)There would be no water on Earth.
C)Earth would have been hit by many more comet impacts.
D)There would not have been any effect, since Jupiter is in the outer solar system and Earth is in the inner solar system.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jupiter's massive gravity acts as a vacuum cleaner in our solar system, attracting and trapping many space rocks that might otherwise hit Earth. Without Jupiter, the frequency of comet impacts on Earth would be much higher, which could have potentially devastating effects on the planet's ecosystems and possibly even its habitability.

Suppose That Jupiter Had Never Existed, and There Was No