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 the gas is ionized by solar radiation and fluoresces, producing emission lines that can show researchers the composition of the gas.

The Gas Tail of a Comet