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 not have been any effect,since Jupiter is in the outer solar system and Earth is in the inner solar system.
C)Earth would have been hit by many more comet impacts.
D)There would be no water on Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jupiter's gravitational pull helps to shield the inner planets from comet impacts by either deflecting them away from the inner solar system or absorbing them itself. Without Jupiter, Earth would likely have experienced a larger number of comet impacts, which could have affected the development of life on Earth. A and B are incorrect because Jupiter's absence would not have affected Earth's stability or orbit, and D is incorrect because the presence of water on Earth is not directly related to the absence of Jupiter.

Suppose That Jupiter Had Never Existed,and There Was No Planet