Question

If an object is spherical, rocky, half the size of Mercury, and located within the asteroid belt, what type of object is this and why?

A) A planet, because it is spherical and orbits the Sun.
B) An asteroid, because it is located in the asteroid belt.
C) An asteroid, because it is small and rocky.
D) A dwarf planet, because it is small and rocky.
E) A dwarf planet, because it hasn't cleared its neighborhood of other objects.

Answer 1

The object described is a dwarf planet because it is small and rocky, and located within the asteroid belt.

Step-by-step explanation:

The type of object described, spherical, rocky, half the size of Mercury, and located within the asteroid belt, is classified as option D) A dwarf planet, because it is small and rocky.

A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, is spherical in shape, and has not cleared its neighborhood of other objects. This description matches the characteristics of the object described in the question. The fact that it is located within the asteroid belt further supports its classification as a dwarf planet.

Asteroids, on the other hand, are rocky objects located in the asteroid belt. While the object in question is small and rocky like an asteroid, its size and location within the asteroid belt make it more likely to be classified as a dwarf planet rather than an asteroid.