What description fits an icy chunk of frozen gases, water, and dust?

What description fits an icy chunk of frozen gases, water, and dust?

• A. Meteor
• B. Asteroid
• C. Comet
• D. Planetoid

Answer: (C)

An icy chunk of frozen gases, water, and dust is best described as a comet. Comets are celestial objects composed primarily of ice, dust, and various gases, which differentiate them from other space objects. When comets approach the sun, the heat causes their ices to sublimate, creating an atmosphere known as a coma and often leading to the formation of a tail that points away from the sun. This phenomenon is due to the solar wind and radiation pressure.

In contrast, asteroids are generally rocky or metallic and do not possess the icy components typical of comets, while meteors refer to the streak of light produced when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere. Planetoids, or dwarf planets, are larger than comets and asteroids but are not primarily composed of the icy mixture described. Thus, the characteristics of frozen gases, water, and dust distinctly align with the definition of a comet.