The main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is made up of hundreds of thousands of asteroids of varying sizes, with two theories of its formation. The first theory suggests a protoplanet was destroyed, while the second theory suggests they are remnants from the formation of the solar system.
The main belt is a large gathering of asteroids in what’s known as an “asteroid belt,” which exists between the planets Mars and Jupiter in Earth’s solar system. This belt is made up of hundreds of thousands of asteroids of widely varying sizes and are thought to have originated in one of two ways. These various asteroids were once believed to exist as a prime planet or protoplanet destroyed by an asteroid collision, although modern theories hold that the rocks are leftover matter from the formation of the solar system.
Also known as the main asteroid belt, the main belt is made up of asteroids of very different sizes. While some of the asteroids are quite large, many of the objects are just dust particles floating in space. The enormous size of the main belt also means that its composition is primarily empty space, with most of the asteroids being very far apart. However, asteroid collisions are possible. There are also a number of comets that appear to travel through this belt.
There are two basic theories of the formation of the main belt of Earth’s solar system. The first theory, which has been largely abandoned, was that a protoplanet had begun to form in the solar system, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. While this was forming, a large asteroid or other object struck the protoplanet and destroyed it with such tremendous force that its remnants were scattered throughout the region which became the main belt. The relatively low mass of the various objects throughout the belt, however, makes such a formation unlikely, and the energy released in such destruction would have left a lasting impression on the solar system.
Today, the preferred theory of the formation of the main belt is that the various objects are remnants of the formation of the solar system. Jupiter’s enormous mass exerts enough gravitational force to keep matter from forming a planet. These early rocks and particles would have taken an orbit around the sun, just like planets, but they could not have formed together into one planet. The low mass of the belt supports this theory, as does the type of matter found among the various asteroids, which indicate separate bodies that have never been part of a single planet.
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