Moons close to Jupiter have relatively more _____, while those farther away have relatively more _____.

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Question restatement: Moons close to Jupiter have relatively more _____, while those farther away have relatively more _____.

Option 1: rock, ice
This aligns with the observed trend in the Galilean moons and other Jovian satellites, where the inner moons (e.g., Io and Europa) are predominantly rocky with silicate and metallic components, while the outer moons exhibit higher ice content due to formation in cooler regions of the solar nebula. This option matches the well-supported pattern of increasing ice content with distance from Jupiter.

Option 2: iron, rock
This would imply inner moons are iron-rich and outer ones rock-rich. In practice, moons are not known for iron-dominant compositions, and the outer moons are not primarily rocky relative to iron; if anything, outer bodies tend to be more icy. This option contradicts mainstream observations and planetary differentiation expectations.

Option 3: ice, iron
This reverses the real trend. If inner moons were more icy and outer moons more iron-rich, that would clash with our understanding that higher temperatures and tidal interactions near Jupiter promote rockier compositions in closer satellites. Additionally, iron-rich icy bodies are not a recognized dominant composition for Jovian moons in the inner region.

Option 4: ice, rock
This would state inner moons are more icy and outer moons more rocky, which is inconsistent with the observed pattern where proximity to Jupiter corresponds to warmer conditions and a higher likelihood of rocky geology, while the more distant moons are cooler and retain more ices. It incorrectly assigns the distribution.

Option 5: rock, iron
Similar to Option 2, this suggests inner moons are rockier and outer ones iron-rich. The iron-rich scenario is not supported by the general composition trends of Jovian moons, making this option implausible given current planetary science.

Summary: The most consistent choice with our understanding of the Jovian system is that closer moons are relatively more rock-dominated, while farther moons are comparatively more ice-rich. The remaining options introduce combinations (iron emphasis, reversed order) that conflict with observed compositions and formation conditions in the outer solar system.

ASTRON 2140 AU2025 (23428) Final - 2025 Dec 12

Moons close to Jupiter have relatively more _, while those farther away have relatively more _.

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