two scientists are attempting to determine whether an object is a comet or an asteroid. The table lists the questions they had and their observations. where was the object observer? the oort cloud. what is the object made of? dust and ice. does the object have a visible tail? no scientist 1 determines that the object is a comet while scientist 2 determines that the object is an asteroid. wich scientist is correct and why?

Answer 1

Scientist 1 is correct in determining that the object is a comet.

There are several key observations that lead to this conclusion:
1. The object was observed in the Oort cloud, which is a region far beyond the orbit of Pluto where comets are believed to originate. It is highly unlikely to find asteroids in the Oort cloud.
2. The object is made of dust and ice, which are typical materials found in comets. Asteroids, on the other hand, are primarily rocky or metallic in composition.
3. The object does not have a visible tail. Comets are known for their characteristic tails, which are formed when the sun heats up the icy nucleus, causing vaporization and the release of gas and dust. Since the object does not have a visible tail, it indicates that the outgassing process has not yet started, further supporting the idea that it is a comet.

Based on these observations, it is clear that the object exhibits typical characteristics of a comet rather than an asteroid. Therefore, Scientist 1 is correct in identifying the object as a comet.