The large gravitational influences of Jupiter and Saturn forced some planetesimals in their neighborhood to move outward away from the Sun. A consequence of this was
A) that conservation of angular momentum caused the giant planets to spin faster.
B) collisions that produced many fragments became the rings of the outer planets.
C) collisions that formed Uranus and Neptune.
D) the creation or at least enlargement of the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational influences of Jupiter and Saturn indeed played a significant role in shaping the outer solar system, including the scattering of planetesimals into distant orbits, contributing to the creation or enlargement of the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. These regions are populated by small icy bodies that were pushed outward by the gravitational forces of the gas giants.

The Large Gravitational Influences of Jupiter and Saturn Forced Some