It is believed there were originally far more objects in the asteroid belt than there are now. What happened to the rest of them?
A)The gravitational influence of Jupiter deflected most of them out of the solar system.
B)Mars-sized objects moving through the asteroid belt disrupted the orbits and deflected most of them out of the solar system.
C)The majority of the original asteroids coalesced to form a series of Mars-sized objects, one of which struck Earth and caused the formation of the Moon.
D)A passing star pulled most of the original asteroids out of the solar system.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational influence of Jupiter has played a significant role in shaping the asteroid belt. Jupiter's massive gravity has deflected many objects out of the asteroid belt, either by ejecting them from the solar system or by sending them into the inner solar system. This process has significantly reduced the number of objects originally present in the asteroid belt.

It Is Believed There Were Originally Far More Objects in the Asteroid