Correct Response: B. Scientists hypothesize that the asteroids of the asteroid belt are remnants of planetesimals from the early formation of the solar system that were unable to coalesce into a planet because of the influence of Jupiter's strong gravitational field. The large number and concentrated location of asteroids in the asteroid belt make it highly unlikely that the asteroids were captured by the Sun's gravitational field (A). While the asteroids are abundant, their total mass is a fraction of the mass of Earth's moon and suggests they did not form from the destruction of multiple Jovian moons (C). Although dust and ice did clump together in the early solar system according the nebular hypothesis, the composition and characteristics of asteroids in the asteroid belt suggest they were formed after this earliest stage from the remains of planetesimals and not just dust and ice (D).
