The Kuiper Belt Reading Answers

Jul 9, 2025

The Kuiper Belt is an IELTS Reading Answer that contains 14 questions and needs to be completed within 20 minutes. This reading answer also helps you to prepare for your IELTS exam. The Kuiper Belt consists of questions like: write no more than three words from the passage for each answer. Complete the timeline diagram below. Write no more than three words from the passage for each answer.

You should go through the IELTS Reading passage to recognise synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Topic:

THE KUIPER BELT

Located in the region of the Solar System beyond the planets (from 30 AU At Neptune's orbit to Circa 55 AU from the sun), the Kuiper Belt, or Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt as many scientists prefer to call it. It is similar to an asteroid belt, though far greater in size, being 20 times as wide and potentially 200 times as massive. Like asteroid belts, the Kuiper is composed of small celestial bodies, the scattered remnants — the left over junk if you like —from the formation of the Solar System, but unlike asteroid belts whose objects are largely composed of rock and metal, the Kuiper's objects consist of what are termed frozen volatiles': methane, ammonia and water in ice from, for example. Another significant differentiating factor between the Kuiper and asteroid belts is the presence in the former of at least for dwarf planets, the most well-known of which is Pluto, which, until 2006, was actually classed as a planet in its own right. The belt has also previously been home to other large Objects such as Saturn's moon Phoebe and Neptune's triton, which originated in the region before coming under the influence of the gravitational force of their respective planets.

Though the existence of a phenomenon like the belt had been hypothesised for some time, its existence wasn't officially confirmed until 1992, since when over me thousand Kuiper Belt objects(KBOs) have been officially observed. On the basis of what we know about the region, it is speculated that the actual number of KBOs measuring over 100km in diameter is far in excess of 70,000 Initially, it was speculated that the Kuiper region was responsible for the appearance of most periodic comets (comets whose orbit lasts less than 200 years), but studies conducted in the mid-90s appear to contradict this assumption and cast the Kuiper region as one which is dynamically stable and, thus, not the repository of periodic comets on now though to be in the farther regions of the Solar System outside of the Kuiper belt in an area referred to as the scattered disc, though to have been created by the outward motion of Neptune several billion years ago. Scattered-disc object are KBO-like bodies with orbits which take them as far as 100 AU from the sun, far beyond the 50 AU boundary of the Kuiper Belt itself.

Pluto is the largest-known Kuiper Belt orbits and also the tenth most massive body observed directly orbiting the sun. It was reclassified a Dwarf planet after it was discovered to be more similar compositionally to KBOs than the major planets, being comprised of rock and ice. Its orbital period is also identical to that of another group of KBOs, referred to as plutinos in its honor. Alongside Pluto, a further three dwarf planets have now been observed within the Kuiper Belt, and these are collectively referred to as plutoids: another patent tribute to the former planet.

The Kuiper's close proximity to Neptune has a profound effect on its structure due to the consequent orbital resonance (gravitation influence) at work on it. Neptune's gravity destabilises the orbits of objects lying within centain regions of the Kuiper, doing one of two things: either sending them father out into the scattered disc region of interstellar space, or into the linear Solar System. For this reason, the Kuiper is characterised by a series of pronounced gaps in the current layout, similar to the gaps present in the asteroid belt on which gravitational forces are also constantly at work.

The classical belt is the region of the Kuiper between 42-48 AU. Here, the gravitational influence of Neptune is negligible, so KBOs largely unmolested. This region accounts for about two-thirds of all KBOs observed to date. Within the classical belt are two distinct population of KBO defined by their differing orbits. The 'dynamically hot' population is characterised by more pronounced elliptical orbits. Not only are the populations at odds in their orbits, they are also compositionally distinct. The cold population has a red hue not evident in the hot population (the name cold population are not in any way indicative of temperature). It is thought that the hot population therefore formed in a different region near Jupiter before being injected outward by movement among the gas giants, whereas the cold formed roughly where it is still situated, just outside of the orbital range of Neptune.

Questions 27-32

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Complete the timeline diagram below.

The Kuiper Belt (not unlike (27).............. in that it is composed of small celestial bodies)

Answer: AN ASTEROID BELT

Supporting statement: Like asteroid belts, the Kuiper is composed of small celestial bodies, the scattered remnants — the left over junk if you like

Keywords: asteroid belts, celestial

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 4-6

Explanation: According to the text Kuiper belt is composed of small celestial bodies and scattered leftovers from the formation of the solar system, but the Kuiper belt, unlike the Asteroid belt, also includes frozen volatiles: methane, ammonia and water in the form of ice

The (28)..............(so named as an homage (29)..............to the Pluto, which ceased to be

known as such in 2006)

Answer: PLUTOIDS

Supporting statement: alongside Pluto, a further three dwarf planets have now been observed within the Kuiper Belt, and these are collectively referred to as plutoids:

Keywords: Pluto, plutoids

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 5

Explanation: According to the text, the Kuiper belt also consists of three dwarf planets, as plutoids

Answer: FORMER PLANET

Supporting statement: another patent tribute to the former planet.

Keywords: patent, former

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 6

Explanation: According to the text, the three dwarf planets are named plutoids as a homage to the former planet Pluto.

Pluto (now considered A (30)...................)

Answer: DWARF PLANET

Supporting statement: Pluto is the largest-known Kuiper Belt orbits and also the tenth most massive body observed directly orbiting the sun. It was reclassified a Dwarf planet

Keywords: Kuiper, Dwarf

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 1-2

Explanation: The text mentions that Pluto, once a planet, was reclassified as a dwarf planet and is the largest known massive body that orbits the sun.

Neptune (whose(31)................ has a destabilising effect on Kuiper Belt objects)

Answer: GRAVITATIONAL INFLUENCE / ORBITAL RESONANCE / GRAVITY

Supporting statement: The classical belt is the region of the Kuiper between 42-48 AU. Here, the gravitational influence of Neptune is negligible, so KBOs largely unmolested.

Keywords: 42-48 AU, Neptune, gravitational

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 1-2

Explanation: The text mentions that the gravitational influence of Neptune is undeniable on the Kuiper belt object.

Saturn (whose moon Phoebe the Kuiper Belt was (32)................. in the past)

Answer: HOME TO

Supporting statement: The belt has also previously been home to other large objects such as Saturn's moon Phoebe

Keywords: home, Phoebe

Keyword Location: Para 1, Line 11

Explanation: According to the text, the Kuiper Belt was once home to one of Saturn's moons, named Phoebe.

Questions 33-38

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE KUIPER BELT

-Located in the part of the Solar System which is beyond the planets.

- Wider and much more (33).............than asteroid belts.

Answer: MASSIVE

Supporting statement: It is similar to an asteroid belt, though far greater in size, being 20 times as wide and potentially 200 times as massive.

Keywords: times, massive

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 3-4

Explanation: According to the text, the Kuiper belt is similar to the asteroid belt, but its size is twenty times greater and it is also 200 times wider.

- Comprised of small celestial bodies.

- KBOS dissimilar to asteroid compositionally — composed of frozen volatiles rather than (34)...............

Answer: ROCK AND METALS

Supporting statement: but unlike asteroid belts whose objects are largely composed of rock and metal,

Keywords: composed, rock

Keyword Location: Para 1, Line 6

Explanation: The Kuiper belt is made up of frozen volatiles such as methane, ammonia and water in the form of ice, whereas the asteroid belt is made up of rocks and metals.

- Contains four known dwarf planets.

- Existence of dwarf planets is another distinguishing feature between it and (35)................

Answer: ASTEROID BELTS

Supporting statement: Another significant differentiating factor between the Kuiper and asteroid belts is the presence in the former of at least for dwarf planets

Keywords: differentiating, former

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 8-9

Explanation: One of the major differences between the asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt is the presence of the dwarf planets in the latter.

- Though (36)..................... to exist for many years, presence of belt only confirmed in 1992.

Answer: HYPOTHESISED

Supporting statement: Though the existence of a phenomenon like the belt had been hypothesised for some time, its existence wasn't officially confirmed until 1992,

Keywords: hypothesised, 1992

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 1-2

Explanation: The presence of the belt was confirmed in 1992, although its existence has been hypothesised for many years.

- Now an estimated 70,000 KBOs in existence.

- Contrary to initial theories, not responsible for the majority of (37)...................., which are now believed to come from further out in the Solar System.

Answer: PERIODIC COMETS

Supporting statement: not the repository of periodic comets on now though to be in the farther regions of the Solar System outside of the Kuiper belt

Keywords: periodic, Solar System

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 8-9

Explanation: According to the text, the Kuiper belt was once considered the area from which periodic comets came, but this assumption was changed by the mid 90s after a study showed that the belt's area is stable.

- Pluto is the largest KBO and the tenth most massive object in orbit around the Sun.

- A further three dwarf planets have been identified.

- Neptune's influence has affected the (38).................. of the Kuiper Belt, producing a series of pronounced gaps therein.

Answer: LAYOUT/ STRUCTURE

Supporting statement: For this reason, the Kuiper is characterised by a series of pronounced gaps in the current layout, similar to the gaps present in the asteroid belt on which gravitational forces are also constantly at work.

Keywords: gaps, layout

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 5-6

Explanation: The Kuiper belt has a series of pronounced gaps in its layout due to Neptune's influence.

Questions 39–40

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

CLASSICAL BELT COMPOSITION

(39).............. Circular orbits and red hue

Answer: (DYNAMICALLY) COLD POPULATION

Supporting statement: The cold population has a red hue not evident in the hot population (the name cold population are not in any way indicative of temperature).

Keywords: cold, population

Keyword Location: Para 5, Line 6

Explanation: The composition of the belt includes a cold population which have red hues and circular orbits.

(40)............... Elliptical orbits and formed elsewhere in Solar System

Answer: (DYNAMICALLY) HOT POPULATION

Supporting statement: It is thought that the hot population therefore formed in a different region near Jupiter before being injected outward by movement among the gas giants

Keywords: hot population, outward

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The composition of the belt includes a hot population which was formed in a region near Jupiter and later became part of the belt through the movement of the gas giants.

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