Final answer:
A hypothetical solar system with asteroids primarily in regions like the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud, with comets orbiting in the inner solar system, would be surprising based on current understanding of solar system formation, where material composition and temperature gradients during the formation dictate the location of different types of bodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Such a solar system configuration would indeed be surprising, because it is counter to what we observe in our own solar system and current understanding of planetary system formation. In our solar system, asteroids primarily orbit in a region known as the asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter, whereas icy bodies, such as comets, originate from colder, distant regions like the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud.
The existing paradigm is based on the fact that different materials condense at different temperatures. Rocky and metallic materials, which withstand higher heat, formed in the inner solar system. In the outer solar system, where temperatures were cooler, ice and gas were able to condense, leading to the formation of icy bodies. Consequently, the proximity to the Sun dictates to a large degree the composition of the objects. Comets typically originate from these colder, distant regions where icy materials could survive.