How is Ceres considered a 'protoplanetary core' whose growth was arrested within the asteroid belt region?
Answer
Jupiter's massive influence perpetually stirs the region, preventing orbital dominance
Ceres serves as a key example illustrating the constraints on planetary success, particularly in regions heavily influenced by existing giants. Although Ceres is large enough to be round, signifying it reached the hydrostatic equilibrium stage of growth, it remains classified as a remnant or dwarf planet because it never achieved orbital dominance. This failure is attributed to Jupiter's massive gravitational influence, which constantly perturbs the asteroid belt, preventing any single body in that region from absorbing or gravitationally scattering all of its neighbors to secure a clear orbital path.
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