UPSC Prelims 1997·GS1·geography·general geography

The tail of a comet is directed away from the sun because

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  1. Aas the comet rotates around the sun, the lighter mass of the comet is pushed away due to the centrifugal force alone
  2. Bas the comet rotates, the lighter mass of the comet is attracted by some star situated in the direction of its tail
  3. Cthe radiation emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the comet throwing its tail away from the sunCorrect
  4. Dthe tail of the comet always exists in the same orientation

Explanation

The correct answer is C because of two primary forces acting on the comet as it approaches the sun: solar radiation pressure and solar wind. Solar radiation pressure consists of photons emitted by the sun that exert physical pressure on the dust particles in the comet. Simultaneously, the solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles like electrons and protons, interacts with the gases in the comet. Together, these forces push the dust and ionized gases away from the sun in a radial direction. This causes the tail to always point away from the sun, regardless of the direction in which the comet is traveling. Options A, B, and D are incorrect because they rely on false gravitational, rotational, or static explanations.
geography: The tail of a comet is directed away from the sun because

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