Question

What is the difference between a dwarf and a protoplanet?

Answer 1

Hint: A planet is a large object that orbits a star, such as Venus or Earth. Planets are significantly smaller than stars and do not emit light. Planets have the size of a squashed ball (called a spheroid). Satellites are planet-orbiting objects. A planet is a perfect sphere that orbits the Sun, has enough mass to overcome rigid body forces, has a roughly round form, and has cleared the area around it.

Complete answer:
The dwarf planet, a body other than a natural satellite (moon) that orbits the Sun and is, in practice, smaller than Mercury but large enough that its own gravity has significantly rounded its shape.

Protoplanets are small celestial objects about the size of a moon or slightly larger. They are small planets, similar to dwarf planets in size. These objects, according to astronomers, form during the formation of a solar system.

The difference between dwarf and protoplanet:
A dwarf planet is a celestial body with enough gravity to form itself into a spherical form that orbits the sun but hasn't cleared its neighbourhood, meaning its orbit is shared with debris such as asteroids (Asteroid Belts). If it cleared its neighbourhood, it would be classified as a planet.

Protoplanets, like Dwarf Planets, haven't cleared their neighbourhood and are usually found near asteroid belts; therefore, over time, the Protoplanet can collide with asteroids and grow larger, eventually becoming a Dwarf Planet and possibly a Planet. In brief, we can say that protoplanets are planets that are in the process of becoming dwarf planets.

Note: It is important to note that asteroids are not always categorised as Protoplanets because a Protoplanet must undergo melting in order for layers to form due to different densities as you move inwards towards the centre. (This is similar to the layers of the Earth, for Instance). Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake are the five dwarf planets discovered so far.