Question

The Apollo and Aten asteroids have orbits that:

1) cross the orbit of Mars, but not the Earth, at perihelion.
2) cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion.
3) remain between Mars and Jupiter, in the main belt.
4) stay sixty degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter.
5) stay out beyond Neptune.

Answer 1

The Apollo and Aten asteroids are distinct from those in the asteroid belt as their orbits cross Earth's orbit at perihelion, which raises the possibility of collisions with our planet. Therefore, the correct answer is 1) cross the orbit of Mars, but not the Earth, at perihelion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Apollo and Aten asteroids have orbits that cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion. Unlike the majority of asteroids that reside within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, Apollo and Aten asteroids have orbits that bring them closer to the Sun, sometimes crossing Earth's orbit, which can pose a potential collision risk with our planet.

The asteroid belt is characterized by the large number of asteroids orbiting the Sun with semimajor axes between approximately 2.2 and 3.3 AU, with stable orbits made possible by the significant distance between Mars and Jupiter.

Apollo and Aten asteroids have orbits that cross the orbit of Mars, but not the Earth, at perihelion. These asteroids belong to a special group of asteroids with orbits that approach or cross the orbit of Earth.

Their paths bring them close to Earth, but they do not cross Earth's orbit. This makes them potentially hazardous as they pose a risk of a catastrophic collision with our planet.