How does Jupiter's gravity affect asteroids in the Kirkwood Gaps?

Jupiter's gravity plays a significant role in the dynamics of asteroids within the Kirkwood Gaps. These gaps are regions in the asteroid belt where there is a noticeable depletion of asteroids at certain distances from the Sun, which corresponds to specific orbital resonances with Jupiter.

As asteroids orbit the Sun, they can occasionally come into proximity with Jupiter. The massive gravitational pull of Jupiter can exert powerful tugs on these asteroids. Depending on the position and velocity of the asteroid relative to Jupiter, this gravitational interaction can either cause the asteroid to be pulled away from its original orbit, which may lead it to be ejected from the asteroid belt altogether, or it can cause the asteroid's orbit to become unstable, effectively collapsing into the gravitational influence of Jupiter.

This gravitational influence accounts for the creation of the Kirkwood Gaps, as Jupiter's immense gravity disrupts the orbits of asteroids that are in resonances with its orbital period, leading to fewer asteroids in those zones. Thus, the presence of Jupiter results in a dynamic environment where the orbits of asteroids are modified significantly, leading to the observable gaps in the distribution of asteroids.