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What is the difference between Asteroids and Comets? (2011)
1. Asteroids are small, rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material.
2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury.
3. Comets show perceptible glowing tails, while asteroids do not.
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 and 2 only
  • b)
    1 and 3 only
  • c)
    3 only
  • d)
    1, 2 and 3
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
What is the difference between Asteroids and Comets? (2011)1. Asteroi...
Difference between asteroids and comets lies mainly in their composition. Both were formed during the early phase of the solar system. Asteroids consist mainly of rocky and metallic material, while comets comprise if ice, frozen gases, dust and rocky and metallic material.
Asteroids are found nearer to the Sun while comets are found farther from the Sun as the heat can melt away comet's ice. In fact, when a comet approaches the Sun, it starts losing its ice because of the Sun's heat as a result of which a perceptible glowing tail can be seen. 
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Most Upvoted Answer
What is the difference between Asteroids and Comets? (2011)1. Asteroi...
The correct answer is option D: 1, 2, and 3. Let's go through each statement and understand the difference between asteroids and comets in detail.

1. Asteroids are small, rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material:
- Asteroids: Asteroids are small rocky objects that orbit the Sun. They are remnants from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. They are made up of various types of rock and metal, similar to the composition of planets like Earth.
- Comets: Comets are icy bodies that also orbit the Sun. They are composed of a mixture of frozen gases, dust, and rocky material. The icy part of the comet is called the nucleus, which is surrounded by a coma (a cloud of gas and dust) and often has a tail that points away from the Sun.

2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury:
- Asteroids: Most asteroids are located in the asteroid belt, a region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This region is known as the main asteroid belt, and it contains the majority of known asteroids.
- Comets: Comets are found in various regions of the solar system. Some comets come from the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond the orbit of Neptune that contains icy objects. Other comets come from the Oort Cloud, a hypothetical cloud of icy bodies located far beyond the orbit of Pluto. When comets come closer to the Sun, they become visible and develop their characteristic tails.

3. Comets show perceptible glowing tails, while asteroids do not:
- Comets: One of the most distinctive features of comets is their glowing tails. As a comet approaches the Sun, the heat causes the icy nucleus to vaporize, releasing gases and dust. These materials form a glowing coma around the nucleus and can create a long tail that points away from the Sun due to solar wind and radiation pressure.
- Asteroids: Asteroids, on the other hand, do not have glowing tails. They do not release gases and do not develop a coma when they approach the Sun. Asteroids are mostly solid and do not have a significant atmosphere or volatile materials that can be vaporized.

In conclusion, asteroids and comets have different compositions, locations in the solar system, and observable features. Asteroids are rocky planetoids found mostly in the asteroid belt, while comets are formed of frozen gases and are found in various regions of the solar system. Comets develop glowing tails when they approach the Sun, while asteroids do not.
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What is the difference between Asteroids and Comets? (2011)1. Asteroids are small, rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material.2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury.3. Comets show perceptible glowing tails, while asteroids do not.Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?a) 1 and 2 onlyb) 1 and 3 onlyc) 3 onlyd) 1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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