Which term describes a celestial body made of ice and dust that develops a tail when near the Sun?

The term that describes a celestial body made of ice and dust that develops a tail when near the Sun is "comet." Comets originate from the outer regions of the solar system, composed primarily of ice, dust, and rocky material. When a comet approaches the Sun, the heat causes the ice within the comet to sublimate, releasing gas and dust into space. This process forms a glowing coma around the nucleus and often creates a distinctive tail that points away from the Sun due to the solar wind and radiation pressure. This behavior is a defining characteristic of comets, setting them apart from other celestial objects such as asteroids, which are primarily made of rock and metal and do not develop tails.

Planets, on the other hand, are significant celestial bodies that orbit the Sun but do not exhibit the distinct tail or coma characteristic of comets. Meteors are the streaks of light produced when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up, rather than being a distinct celestial body that follows the same developmental processes as a comet.