Why does the atmosphere of Saturn appear to have only half the helium content of Jupiter?
A)Because Saturn is so much colder, helium does not show up as strongly in its spectrum.
B)Saturn was formed farther from the helium rich Sun.
C)A red dwarf, Jupiter has fused some of its hydrogen into helium, whereas Saturn, a colderplanet, has not.
D)Much of Saturn's helium has differentiated towards its center.
E)Much of Saturn's helium has reacted with water and formed helium oxide.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Much of Saturn's helium has differentiated towards its center. This means that due to gravitational forces, the heavier elements such as helium would have sunk towards the planet's core. This would result in a lower concentration of helium in the upper atmosphere that is visible to us. Much of Saturn's helium has differentiated towards its center. This means that the heavier elements sink towards the center of the planet, while the lighter elements float towards the top. As a result, much of the helium on Saturn has sunk towards its core, making it appear to have only half the helium content of Jupiter.

Why Does the Atmosphere of Saturn Appear to Have Only