Why do researchers believe that asteroids in the asteroid belt are primal rocks that did not merge into a planet?
A) The total mass of the asteroids in the asteroid belt is much smaller than that of any terrestrial planet in our solar system.
B) The differences in chemical compositions of the asteroids are too large for them to have originated in a single body.
C) Jupiter's gravity could have prevented these objects merging into a single body.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The option D includes all the reasons for researchers believing that the asteroids in the asteroid belt did not merge into a planet. The total mass of the asteroids is much smaller than any terrestrial planet's mass, indicating that they could not have merged into a planet. Furthermore, the asteroids' chemical compositions differ significantly, which suggests that they did not originate from a single body. Finally, Jupiter's gravity is strong enough to have prevented these objects from merging into a single body.

Why Do Researchers Believe That Asteroids in the Asteroid Belt