Q. With reference to the Kuiper Belt, consider the following statements:
- No planet of solar system is located in Kuiper Belt
- In comparison to asteroid belt, the bodies found in Kuiper Belt are generally large
- Haumea and Makemake are dwarf planets located in Kuiper Belt
Which among the above statements is / are correct?
Answer:
Only 1 & 3
Notes: The Kuiper belt is a region of the solar system beyond the planets, extending from the orbit of Neptune. It is similar to the asteroid belt, although it is far larger — 20 times as wide and 200 times as massive. Like the asteroid belt, it consists mainly small bodies or remnants from the solar system’s formation. The Kuiper belt objects are composed largely of frozen volatiles (termed ‘ices’), such as methane, ammonia and water. It is home to at least three dwarf planets — Pluto, Haumea and Makemake. Pluto, discovered in 1930, is considered its largest member.