Why didn't a planet form where the asteroid belt is now located?
A) Gravitational tugs from Jupiter prevented material from collecting together to form a planet.
B) There was not enough material in this part of the solar nebula to form a planet.
C) There was too much rocky material to form a terrestrial planet, but not enough gaseous material to form a jovian planet.
D) The temperature in this portion of the solar nebula was just right to prevent rock from sticking together.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gravitational tugs from Jupiter prevented material from collecting together to form a planet. Jupiter's strong gravity disrupts the orbits of small planetesimals in the asteroid belt, preventing them from coming together to form a planet. With the constant gravitational tugs and collisions caused by Jupiter and other large planets in the inner solar system, the asteroid belt remained a scattered field of rocky debris.

Why Didn't a Planet Form Where the Asteroid Belt Is