What is the basic difference between comets and asteroids?
A) Comets always move in open orbits around the Sun and hence visit the Sun only once in their lifetime, whereas asteroids move in closed orbits.
B) Comets always emit their own light, whereas asteroids only reflect sunlight.
C) Comets are spherical, whereas asteroids are mostly irregular in shape.
D) Comets are mostly composed of roughly equal mixtures of rocks and ices, whereas asteroids are mainly composed of rocks.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Comets are composed of ice, dust, and rocky material, which gives them their characteristic tails when they approach the Sun and the ice starts to vaporize. Asteroids, on the other hand, are primarily made of rock and metal and do not exhibit such tails.

What Is the Basic Difference Between Comets and Asteroids