Which one among the following is a dwarf planet?

Answer: (b) Pluto

Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.

The idea

A dwarf planet orbits the Sun and is rounded by its own gravity, but has not cleared its orbital neighbourhood. It is not a natural satellite. This classification was adopted in 2006, so it must not be projected backwards as terminology used in an earlier exam.

Elimination technique

Jupiter, Venus and Uranus belong to the eight-planet classification. Pluto is the dwarf planet among the options under the post-2006 definition.

Also know

Ceres lies in the asteroid belt; Pluto, Eris, Haumea and Makemake lie beyond Neptune. “Clearing the neighbourhood” means being gravitationally dominant in the orbital zone, not removing every small body. Pluto has moons, showing that having a satellite does not by itself make a body a planet.