Why do asteroids and comets differ in composition?
A)Asteroids formed inside the frost line, while comets formed outside.
B)Asteroids are much larger than comets.
C)Asteroids and comets formed at different times.
D)Comets are much larger than asteroids.
E)Comets formed from the jovian nebula, while asteroids did not.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Asteroids formed inside the frost line, which is the region where volatile compounds such as water ice can remain solid, while comets formed outside the frost line where these volatile compounds could remain as gases. This difference in location resulted in asteroids being composed of mainly rock and metal, while comets are composed of ice, dust, and other volatile compounds.

Why Do Asteroids and Comets Differ in Composition