A planet is a celestial body that
A) orbits the sun.
B) has sufficient mass and therefore gravitational pull to form into a nearly spherical shape.
C) cleared all other objects from the neighborhood of its orbit.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All three statements are correct and are commonly used to define a planet. A planet must orbit the sun, have sufficient mass to form into a nearly spherical shape, and have "cleared its neighborhood," meaning it has become gravitationally dominant in its orbit and removed other competing bodies.

A Planet Is a Celestial Body That