Final answer:
Kuiper Belt objects have orbits that 2. stay out just beyond Neptune and close to the ecliptic. This region extends from 30 to 50 AU from the Sun and includes over 100,000 objects, such as dwarf planets, influenced by Neptune's gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Kuiper Belt objects have orbits that stay out just beyond Neptune and close to the ecliptic. The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, consisting mainly of small icy bodies. Within this region, which extends from about 30 to 50 AU from the Sun, there are over 100,000 objects with diameters larger than 100 kilometers, including dwarf planets like Pluto, Eris, Makemake, and Haumea. These objects are made up of ice-and-rock planetesimals, which are remnants of the early solar system and are believed to be the source of many short-period comets.
The gravitational influence of Neptune plays a significant role in shaping the orbits of these Kuiper Belt objects, and occasionally perturbs their paths, allowing some to enter the inner solar system as comets. Unlike the more distant Oort Cloud, which can send comets from thousands of AU away, the Kuiper Belt's influence is confined to its own region beyond Neptune. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is that the Kuiper Belt objects have orbits that 'stay out just beyond Neptune and close to the ecliptic' aligning with the second option presented in the question.