What is the difference between a planet and a dwarf planet?

Planets and dwarf planets are celestial bodies that are part of our solar system. The main difference between the two lies in their characteristics and classifications.

Planets:

Planets are larger celestial bodies that orbit the sun, have enough mass to assume a nearly round shape, and have cleared their orbit of other debris. There are eight recognized planets in our solar system.

Some characteristics of planets include:

• They have a clear path around the sun.
• They are massive enough for their gravity to make them nearly spherical in shape.
• They are not satellites of other planets.

Dwarf Planets:

Dwarf planets, on the other hand, are similar to planets but have not cleared their orbits of other debris. This is the key factor that distinguishes them from planets. Pluto is the most famous example of a dwarf planet.

Some characteristics of dwarf planets include:

• They have not cleared their orbits of debris.
• They are spherical in shape but smaller in size compared to planets.
• They are not classified as moons of other planets.

In conclusion, the distinction between planets and dwarf planets lies in their size, shape, orbital characteristics, and ability to clear their orbit of debris within our solar system.