NASA | How to Cook a Comet

The video tutorial explains how to prepare a comet for a solar approach, focusing on sublimation, tail formation, and the effects of solar radiation. It covers the process of sublimation, where the comet's surface material transitions from solid to gas, forming a tail. The tutorial also discusses how ultraviolet light affects the comet's brightness and the dynamics of vapor jets causing rotation. As the comet nears the sun, its tail disappears, and the sun's gravity deforms it. Observing sublimation provides insights into the comet's composition, density, and mass, with the hope that the comet remains intact for future visits.

What is the process called when a comet's surface material changes directly from solid to gas?

• Sublimation

• Deposition

• Condensation

• Evaporation

What happens to a comet as it forms a tail?

• It loses its brightness

• It releases trapped dust

• It gains mass

• It stops rotating

How does ultraviolet light affect a comet?

• It slows down the comet's rotation

• It makes the comet darker

• It causes the comet to lose its tail

• It enhances the comet's brightness

What shape does a comet take due to the sun's gravity?

• Spherical

• Oblong

• Cubical

• Triangular

What can be inferred by observing the materials that continue to sublimate from a comet?

• The comet's distance from the sun

• The comet's composition, density, and mass

• The comet's temperature

• The comet's speed