The large Jovian satellites have sizes comparable to Mercury. Why do they have an icy composition compared to Mercury's rocky composition?
A)They formed from hydrogen compounds expelled by the Jovian planets.
B)They experienced many more cometary impacts during the Late Heavy Bombardment.
C)They formed beyond the frost line, where ices were three to four times more abundant than metals and rock.
D)They are captured comets.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The large Jovian satellites are believed to have formed beyond the frost line, where ices were much more abundant than metals and rock. This allowed them to accumulate more ices, resulting in their icy composition. Mercury, on the other hand, formed inside the frost line and experienced intense heat from the Sun, which caused volatile materials to be lost and resulted in its rocky composition.

The Large Jovian Satellites Have Sizes Comparable to Mercury