Answered: ffer up two ways using a comet's…

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)

9th Edition

ISBN:9780134746241

Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa

Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa

Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1LR

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Question

Offer up two ways using a comet's orbital properties that we could determine if a comet was more likely to originate from the Oort Cloud or the Kuiper Belt. Then explain how those properties indicate the origin of the comet.

Expert Solution

Step 1: Define Oort Cloud

Oort Cloud:

The Oort Cloud is a hypothetical and extremely remote area in our solar system that is thought to be a producer of long-period comets.
This large and mostly uncharted region is thought to exist well beyond Pluto's orbit, at distances ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.
The Oort Cloud is thought to contain a reservoir of icy bodies that can be gravitationally perturbed by passing stars or other celestial objects, sending some of them on trajectories that bring them closer to the Sun, resulting in the appearance of long-period comets in the inner solar system.

Kuiper Belt:

The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system that is beyond Neptune's orbit, stretching from around 30 AU to approximately 50 AU from the Sun.
This region, named for astronomer Gerard Kuiper, is home to a slew of small, frozen worlds, including minor planets Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. The Kuiper Belt, unlike the Oort Cloud, is closer to the Sun and is expected to be a significant producer of short-period comets.
The objects in the Kuiper Belt are leftovers of the early solar system with generally stable orbits, however some are occasionally disrupted by Neptune's gravitational influence, causing them to enter the inner solar system as comets.