Why do the outer planets have rings?

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It is possible that the answer to the question you're asking is due to a planet's Roche Limit. inside which, there is not enough tidal(gravity) forces acting on the objects orbitting the plannet that would cause them to coalesce, or come together, and instead form a ring
 
They do not know for sure, one answer is that because of the roche limit when the planets were being formed, ie, when the planets were being formed the rings were not made into planets as they were past the gravity of the planet. Another theory is that the rings are moons or asteriods broken up over time due to impact.

Scientists feel that maost rings are unstable and may collapse over time.
 
It is possible that the answer to the question you're asking is due to a planet's Roche Limit. inside which, there is not enough tidal(gravity) forces acting on the objects orbitting the plannet that would cause them to coalesce, or come together, and instead form a ring
 
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