What elements classify Saturn as a gas giant, similar to Jupiter, rather than an ice giant?
Answer
Its primary constituents are much lighter elements, mainly hydrogen and helium.
Saturn, like Jupiter, falls into the category of gas giants because its bulk composition is overwhelmingly dominated by the lightest elements in the universe: hydrogen and helium. This contrasts sharply with Uranus and Neptune, where the internal mass budget is heavily weighted toward heavier molecules referred to as ices (water, methane, ammonia). Although Saturn does contain trace amounts of these heavier volatiles deep inside, its overall mass distribution classifies it firmly as a gas giant, defined by its hydrogen and helium dominance.
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