Consider the following statements: 1. The Kuiper belt lies beyond Nep...
Kuiper belt is a belt beyond Neptune's orbit consisting of remnants of the Solar system like the asteroids but composed of frozen volatiles. It is home to three officially recognized dwarf planets, Pluto, Haumea and Makemake.
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Consider the following statements: 1. The Kuiper belt lies beyond Nep...
Understanding the Kuiper Belt
The Kuiper Belt is a significant region in our solar system, primarily known for its collection of icy bodies and dwarf planets.
Statement 1: The Kuiper Belt Lies Beyond Neptune's Orbit
- This statement is true.
- The Kuiper Belt is located just beyond the orbit of Neptune, extending from approximately 30 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.
- It is home to many small celestial bodies, including comets and other icy objects.
Statement 2: The Kuiper Belt Contains All the Officially Recognized Dwarf Planets
- This statement is false.
- While several recognized dwarf planets, like Pluto and Haumea, are located in the Kuiper Belt, not all of them are.
- For instance, Eris, another recognized dwarf planet, is located in a region beyond the Kuiper Belt known as the scattered disk, and Ceres, the first dwarf planet discovered, is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Conclusion
Given the analysis:
- Statement 1 is correct: The Kuiper Belt does lie beyond Neptune's orbit.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: Not all recognized dwarf planets are found in the Kuiper Belt.
Thus, the correct answer is option a) 1 only.