Comets and Asteroids

What are the differences between a comet and an asteroid? What are the similarities?

• Comets have a tail and a coma, while asteroids do not. Both orbit the sun.

• Comets are made up of carbon, rocks, and metals, while asteroids are made up of ice and dust

• Comets have elliptical orbits, while asteroids have circular orbits

• Comets are larger than asteroids in size

What causes comets and asteroids to move?

• Air resistance in outer space

• Gravity from the sun

• Collisions with other celestial bodies

• Magnetic forces

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

True or False: An asteroid has a tail.

• True

• False

• Cannot be determined

• Not mentioned in the passage

True or False: A comet has an orbit.

• True

• False

• Cannot be determined

• Not mentioned in the passage

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

True or False: The coma is just an optical illusion.

• True

• False

• Cannot be determined

• Not mentioned in the passage

True or False: Some asteroids can be as big as our moon.

• True

• False

• Cannot be determined

• Not mentioned in the passage

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

True or False: A small solar system body is not a planet.

• True

• False

• Cannot be determined

• Not mentioned in the passage

True or False: Comets are not round.

• True

• False

• Cannot be determined

• Not mentioned in the passage