What is the relationship between the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt and the Cassini and Enke divisions in the rings of Saturn?
A)Both are caused by large objects passing through swarms of smaller objects, sweeping out gaps in the swarms.
B)Both were discovered by observers from the same group; Kirkwood and Enke worked at the Cassini Observatory.
C)Both are caused by selective melting of material at these specific locations from the central radiating body, the Sun and Saturn respectively.
D)Both are caused by disruptions of orbits of small objects by a larger object whose orbital period is a simple ratio of that of the small objects.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt and the Cassini and Enke divisions in the rings of Saturn are caused by disruptions of the orbits of small objects by larger objects whose orbital period is a simple ratio of that of the small objects. In the case of the asteroid belt, Jupiter's gravity disrupts the orbits of asteroids whose orbital periods are in a simple ratio with Jupiter's, resulting in gaps in their distribution. In the case of the rings of Saturn, gravitational interactions with Saturn's moons disrupt the orbits of ring particles whose orbital periods are in a simple ratio with the moons, resulting in gaps in the rings.

What Is the Relationship Between the Kirkwood Gaps in the Asteroid