Comets are solar system bodies that orbit the Sun, just as planets do, except a comet usually has a very elongated orbit. Part of its orbit is very, very far from the Sun and part is quite close to the Sun. They are sometimes nicknamed dirty “cosmic snowballs,” because they are small, irregularly shaped chunks of rock, various ices, and dust. As the comet gets closer to the Sun, some of the ice starts to melt and boil off, along with particles of dust. These particles and gases make a cloud around the nucleus, called a coma. The coma is lit by the Sun. The sunlight also pushes this material into the brightly lit “tail” of the comet.
- What is the difference between a bulb, a corm, and a tuber?
- Are there plants that do not grow from seeds?
- What is the difference between self pollination and cross pollination?
- Does the expression “Open sesame!” have anything to do with sesame seeds?
- How do flowering plants make their seeds?
- Which plant spreads its seeds with the help of children at play?
- Do animals ever carry seeds?
- How do seeds become plants?
- What is a seed?
- Do all plants have flowers?
- What are the patterns of stars called?
- How are a water lily’s leaves different?
- Do all plants have leaves?
- Who is called the “father of botany”?
- How many different types of plants are there?
- How do plants grow?
- How do plants get their nutrients?
- What is plant food from the nursery made of?
- How are plants and animals related?
- How are plants different from animals?
