If Jupiter were removed, what change would occur to the objects in the Asteroid Belt?
Answer
They would begin interacting more frequently with each other and with Mars and Earth
Currently, Jupiter's gravity dictates the orbits of the objects within the asteroid belt. When this gravitational constraint is removed, the objects' orbits become untamed. This untamed motion leads to a massive increase in interactions: the bodies start colliding more frequently among themselves and, critically, their paths begin to intersect with the orbits of Mars and Earth. This instability effectively turns the asteroid belt into a much more active and dangerous source of rocky material influx directed toward the inner solar system.
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What If Jupiter Never Existed? - YouTube
What If Jupiter Never Existed? - YouTube
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