Which term describes celestial bodies that orbit a star and have enough gravity to clear most debris from their orbit?

• A. Theoretical explanation
• B. empirical knowledge
• C. Planet
• D. Food chain

Answer: (C)

Planets are objects that orbit a star and have enough gravity to dominate their orbital region, pulling in or ejecting other nearby debris. This ability to clear the neighborhood around their orbit is what sets them apart from smaller bodies that share space with other objects. In other words, a planet not only travels around a star but also becomes the main gravitational influence in its path, leaving little other material in that zone.

For context, the official criteria for a planet include orbiting a star, being roughly spherical due to self-gravity, and clearing its orbital neighborhood. Objects that don’t clear their zone, like some smaller bodies, are categorized differently, such as dwarf planets. The other options describe forms of knowledge or different concepts, not celestial bodies.