Comets are typically:
A) gaseous bodies from which some of the gas is pushed out by the Sun to form a long tail.
B) slushy mixtures of liquid and ice.
C) chunks of rock that are generally a few tens of kilometers in diameter.
D) chunks of ice that begin to vaporize if they pass close to the Sun.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Comets are primarily composed of ice, dust, and frozen gas. When they pass close to the Sun, the heat causes the ice to vaporize, creating a glowing coma and a long tail of gas and dust that can be seen from Earth. This process is known as sublimation. Therefore, choice D is the best option as it describes comets being made up of chunks of ice that vaporize when passing close to the Sun.

Comets Are Typically