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Why do comets have two tails?

Comets have two tails because of their interactions with the Sun’s radiation and magnetic field. Solar radiation ionizes gas and dust particles and pushes them away from the comet’s nucleus, making the tail visible.

In addition, the solar winds, which are made up of charged particles from the Sun, interact with the comet’s magnetic field, creating a second tail. This tail is made up of magnetized dust and gas particles that are repelled by the solar winds and pushed away from the comet’s nucleus.

The type of ions found in the comet’s dust can also affect the orientation of the second tail. As comets have limited amounts of these ions, their two tails can often appear differently.

What are the two tails of a comet called?

The two tails of a comet are composed of different particles, both of which are called the coma and the dust tail, or sometimes just the coma and the tail. The coma is a cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the nucleus of a comet, and is made up of molecules like water, carbon dioxide, and other volatile materials that have been released from the nucleus when it gets too close to the sun.

The coma usually appears as a fuzzy, fuzzy-looking, bright patch near the comet’s nucleus, and can expand to several hundred thousand kilometers across.

The coma is the source of the dust tail, which is composed of very small dust and ice particles that have been ejected from the nucleus. These tiny particles are swept up into the comet’s orbit and start to form a tail as they travel away from the comet’s nucleus.

The dust tail typically appears to be much longer than the coma, depending on how much material is being released from the nucleus. It can appear to be over ten million kilometers long, or even more.

The dust tail is usually much more visible at night, when the Sun is not shining and the comet’s light reflects off of the tiny particles that make up the tail.

Do comets or asteroids have tails?

Yes, both comets and asteroids have tails. Comets, which are made up of ice, dust, and rock, have a large bright tail that can stretch millions of kilometers. This tail is created when the Sun’s radiation melts and vaporizes the icy material and causes the dust grains and gas to be released.

As the material gets pushed away from the Sun, the pressure of the solar wind results in the creation of a bright tail. Asteroids, which are made up of mostly rock and metal, also have tails. However, these tails are much fainter than a comet’s tail and are usually only visible in ultraviolet light.

The tails of asteroids are formed when dust grains, debris, and other material gets released from the asteroid due to thermal radiation, solar wind pressure, and the YARKOVSKY effect.

Are there comets without tails?

Yes, there are comets without tails. These comets are called “dead” comets because their volatile materials, like ice and gas, have been exhausted or boiled off in previous close approaches with the sun.

When a comet has lost its volatile materials, it no longer has a tail like most comets. Dead comets are much harder to detect because they are often mistaken for asteroids. A true comet should have a coma, a region where particles evaporate off the nucleus, and a tail, which indicates the comet is still active and releasing material as it approaches the sun.

Do comet tails disappear?

Yes, comet tails typically do disappear over time. Every comet has a limited supply of material, which is what it uses to create a tail or coma of gas and dust. As a comet flies closer and closer to the Sun, it gets hotter, and is bombarded by solar winds that strip away the material going into the tail.

Eventually, the material exhausts itself and the tail dissipates, though the exact length of time it takes for a comet tail to disappear varies. Comet tails can also disappear due to collisions with other comets or asteroids, or if they break up into smaller pieces.

As a result, the tails will gradually get shorter and shorter as the comet moves through its orbit, until eventually disappearing altogether.

Why are there two tails to some comets and what are they made of quizlet?

Comets typically have two tails–an ion tail and a dust tail–which can both be composed of different materials. The ion tail is composed of gases that have been ionized by the Sun, emitting a bright blue glow.

This tail usually points away from the Sun due to solar radiation pressure. The dust tail is made up of rocky and dusty material ejected by the comet nucleus which reflects the Sun’s light and thus appears brighter than the ion tail.

This tail generally points in the direction of the Sun’s motion through the sky. The combination of these two tails help make a comet visible from Earth.

Why does the tail of a comet become longer when it gets nearer the Sun?

When a comet gets near the Sun, its surface begins to heat up and the ice within it starts to evaporate. As this material escapes, it leaves behind a trail of gas and dust particles called the coma and a long, bright tail.

This tail is comprised of ions and molecules from the evaporating comet that have been pushed away from the comet by the solar wind and the intense radiation of the Sun. As the comet gets closer to the Sun, it experiences more intense solar radiation, creating a longer tail as the heat continues to vaporize more and more of the comet’s material.

This phenomenon can be seen in photographs of comets as the Sun’s energy continues to push the tail away from its source.

Which answer explains why a comet has a tail?

A comet’s tail is a mix of dust and gas that streams away from the comet’s head in a bright, glowing arc, often giving the comet a recognizable, striking appearance. The dust and gas that make up a comet’s tail are a result of the comet coming close to the sun and the sun’s heat vaporizing and disintegrating the comet’s outer layers.

The vaporized material is pushed away from the head of the comet by the sun’s intense solar winds, forming a tail that can stretch for millions of miles in space. This phenomenon is known as the “comet effect.

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Why do comet’s tails always point away from the sun quizlet?

Comets usually have two tails, both of which always point away from the sun. This is because comets are composed of ice, dust, and other materials that become unstable in the presence of the Sun’s extreme heat.

Solar radiation, a form of energy emitted by the Sun, causes this material to evaporate and stream away from the comet’s nucleus, forming the tails. In addition, the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun, can cause additional ionized gas particles to be pushed away from the comet, further shaping and forming the comet’s tails.

Because the tails of a comet constantly point away from the Sun, they can provide a unique and exciting visual when viewed from Earth.