Why are the outer planets like Jupiter called “gas giants,” when it’s gravity has likely over time pulled in millions of tons of asteroidal debris creating a stable form below the gas?

Question

Why are the outer planets like Jupiter called “gas giants,” when it’s gravity has likely over time pulled in millions of tons of asteroidal debris creating a stable form below the gas?

In: 1

Answer 1

Because they’re still mostly gas by volume.

Yes it’s believed that they have some kind of solid, rocky or metallic core, but we do not know that for sure, because we can’t see it through the atmosphere. So all we know is that they’re really big planets with a really really thick atmosphere.