Which specific volatile ice compound is mentioned as being mixed within the nucleus alongside carbon dioxide?
Answer
Ammonia
The nucleus of a comet contains several types of frozen volatile materials that vaporize upon heating. While water ice is the most abundant, the text specifies other frozen gases that would be atmospheric near Earth. These volatile ices explicitly listed include frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice), carbon monoxide, methane, and ammonia. The presence of ammonia alongside the others indicates a complex chemical mix preserved from the early solar nebula conditions.
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