Jovian planets are best described as which?

• A. Small rocky and dense near the Sun
• B. Dense icy dwarfs near the Sun
• C. Distant rocky metal-rich bodies
• D. Large, gaseous/low density, found far from the Sun

Answer: (D)

Jovian planets are gas giants—enormous worlds with thick atmospheres dominated by hydrogen and helium, giving them low average densities compared with rocky planets. They form and reside far from the Sun beyond the frost line, where ices and gases could accumulate into massive envelopes. This combination of immense size, gaseous composition, and distant orbits distinguishes them from the rocky planets that form closer to the Sun.

The other descriptions don’t fit: small rocky planets near the Sun are terrestrial, dense icy dwarfs near the Sun are not common or consistent with Jovian composition, and distant rocky metal-rich bodies describe objects like asteroids or dwarf planets, not gas giants.