What are comets made of?

A.
Dust, sand, and hydrogen
B.
Dust, metal, and helium
C.
Rock, metal, and liquid water
D.
Rock, dust, and ice

1 answer

D. Rock, dust, and ice

Comets are primarily composed of ice (such as water ice, carbon dioxide ice, and other volatile compounds), dust, and rocky materials. This combination gives them a dirty snowball-like structure. When they approach the Sun, the heat causes the ice to vaporize, creating a glowing coma and often a tail.