The gas tail of a comet
A) is smooth and featureless with a spectrum identical to that of the sun.
B) is present even when the comet is located in the region of the Kuiper belt.
C) is unaffected by the magnetic field of the sun.
D) always points toward the sun.
E) is streaked and shows emission lines of ionized atoms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gas tail of a comet is streaked and shows emission lines of ionized atoms. This is because as the comet approaches the sun, the solar wind and radiation cause the atoms in the gas to become ionized, and as they recombine with electrons, they emit light at specific wavelengths, creating the emission lines. The gas tail always points away from the sun due to the solar wind pushing on the ionized gas.

The Gas Tail of a Comet