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UPSC 1997: The tail of a comet is directed away from the sun because
(a)as the comet rotates around the sun, the lighter mass of the comet is pushed away due to the centrifugal force alone
(b)as the comet rotates, the lighter mass of the comet is attracted by some star situated in the direction of its tail
(c)the radiation emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the comet throwing its tail away from the sun
(d)the tail of the comet always exists in the same orientation
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Not attemptedCorrect Answer: (c) the radiation emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the comet throwing its tail away from the sun
As a comet nears the Sun, solar radiation and the solar wind exert outward (radial) pressure on gas and dust from the nucleus, forcing the ion and dust tails to stream away from the Sun. Thus the tail’s orientation is governed by the Sun’s radiation/solar-wind pressure, not centrifugal forces or attraction to other stars. Option (c) correctly states this; the other options mis-identify the cause or claim a fixed orientation. ([britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/science/comet-astronomy/Cometary-atmospheres))
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What is the correct answer to this UPSC 1997 Science & Technology question?▼
The correct answer is option (c): the radiation emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the comet throwing its tail away from the sun. Watch the detailed video explanation in our Sherlocking Prelims course on UnlockIAS.
Which year was this Space Technology & Astronomy question asked in UPSC Prelims?▼
This question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 1997, GS Paper 1, as Question 13. It falls under Science & Technology > Space Technology & Astronomy.
What is the difficulty level of this UPSC question?▼
This question is rated "easy". It tests basic recall and most well-prepared aspirants should answer it correctly.
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Space Technology & Astronomy?▼
UPSC has asked 69 questions from Space Technology & Astronomy (under Science & Technology) across multiple years. Visit the topic page to see the full list and year-wise trends.