Why Do the Outer Giant Planets Have Massive Gaseous Atmospheres

question 69

Multiple Choice

Why do the outer giant planets have massive gaseous atmospheres of hydrogen and helium while the inner planets do not?

• A) These gases were more abundant in the outer regions of the accretion disk where the outer planets formed.
• B) The outer planets grew massive quickly enough to gravitationally hold on to these gases before the solar wind dispersed the accretion disk.
• C) The inner planets were too close to the Sun, and the solar wind blew away their original gaseous atmospheres.
• D) Frequent early collisions by comets with the inner planets caused most of their original atmospheres to dissipate.
• E) Temperatures were too high in the region of the Solar System that contains the inner planets.

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