The Jovian planets are much larger than the terrestrial planets. Why?
A) They formed under the extreme pressure necessary to create massively dense bodies of matter.
B) They were fully formed earlier than the terrestrial planets, and thus had time to grow.
C) They were miniature versions of the Sun before the Sun became a star through fusion.
D) They captured and retained large amounts of the hydrogen and helium that formed the Solar System.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Jovian planets were able to capture and retain large amounts of hydrogen and helium in the early stages of the Solar System's formation due to their large size and strong gravitational pull. This allowed them to become much larger than the terrestrial planets, which were unable to hold onto these lighter gases.

The Jovian Planets Are Much Larger Than the Terrestrial Planets