What is the difference between a comet and an asteroid?

Comets and asteroids are both small solar system bodies, but they differ mainly in composition and behavior. Comets are made of ice, dust, and rocky material, and when they travel close to the Sun, the ice vaporizes and creates a bright glowing coma and tail. They typically originate from the outer solar system, such as the Kuiper Belt or Oort Cloud, and follow highly elliptical orbits. Asteroids are rocky or metallic objects with little to no ice. They mostly orbit the Sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and do not develop tails or comas. Essentially, the key distinction is that comets are icy and active near the Sun, while asteroids are dry, inert rocky bodies.