WHY DO OUTER PLANETS HAVE MORE MOONS THAN THE INNER PLANETS?

 

Dear Student ,

Besides Pluto ,which is actually a dwarf planet, all of the outer planets are significantly larger than Earth (larger mass). Therefore they can control more satellites (more moons).Larger planets have more gravity, that is how they can "control" more satellites.The giant planets formed in a drastically different environment from the terrestrial planets. It was much colder in the outer solar system, so water was ice, but in the region near where Earth formed, water turned to steam. Water is one of the most common chemical compounds, and its ice form accretes much more easily. This encouraged the outer planets to grow massive. 
Regards