Question

According to the new definition of a planet, Pluto is now a dwarf planet. What is the main characteristic of Pluto for which it is no longer considered a true planet?

Group of answer choices

It has not cleared out its immediate neighborhood of smaller objects through gravity

It is too small to have a spherical shape

It has too eccentric of an orbit

It is too far away from the Sun

It is smaller than some other Kuiper Belt Objects which are considered planets

Answer 1

a planet is considered to be dwarf only if it is able to clear out its immediate neighbourhood of smaller objects through gravity.

it means that there are no smaller objects in the vicinity of pluto other than its own satellites which are under gravitational influence of the pluto, or in other words, we can say that pluto was'nt the dominant object in its own orbit in terms of gravitational forces and thus it was'nt able to sling away the celestial bodies in the vicinity of its orbit.

Thus, Optio "A" is correct option , that is " It has not cleared out its immediate neighborhood of smaller objects through gravity"

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