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Which of the following statements about the tails of comets is FALSE?

the Earth passes through the tail of a comet without suffering any harm

a comet always has a tail, even when it is far from the Sun

the tail always points away from the Sun

the tail of a comet can sometimes be ahead of the comet in its orbit

some comets have both a gas tail and a dust tail

2007-03-02 17:55:37 · 6 answers · asked by ast10177 1 in Science & Mathematics Astronomy & Space

6 answers

true
false
true but needs clarification*
true
true

Given that the 5th statement is true, one must note that it is the gas tail which points directly away from the sun. The dust tail usually curves away from the gas tail back toward the direction the comet is coming from, though not necessarily straight back.

FYI, the Earth passed through the tail of Halley's comet in 1910 without any harmful effects.

2007-03-02 20:28:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

The second one is false. When a comet is at the outer end of its orbit, there is not enough solar radiation to cause sublimation and there is no tail.

2007-03-02 18:09:47 · answer #2 · answered by skepsis 7 · 2 0

the Earth passes through the tail of a comet without suffering any harm

2007-03-02 18:01:52 · answer #3 · answered by Khurram 3 · 1 2

The comet has to be close enough to the sun for it to melt and evaporate, giving off gas and matter trapped within the ice.

The second one is false.

2007-03-02 18:27:24 · answer #4 · answered by socialdeevolution 4 · 1 1

I certainly have a tailbone, yet no tail. Evolution knocked it off, stated i did no longer choose it anymore. stability has by no potential been the comparable in view that. Now I gotta walk on those 2 feet... Damnit, Darwin...

2016-12-18 14:14:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

No 1 maybe.
No 2 false.
No 3 True.
No 4 false.
no 5 true.

2007-03-03 00:43:44 · answer #6 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0 1

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