How can a close pass by Jupiter break apart a comet?

A comet can be broken apart by a close pass to a large planet like Jupiter due to the planet's intense tidal forces.12

When a comet approaches a massive body, the gravitational pull on the side of the comet closest to the planet is significantly stronger than the pull on the side farthest away. If the comet passes within a specific distance known as the Roche limit, these differential gravitational forces—or tidal stresses—can overcome the internal gravity holding the comet together.34

Because cometary nuclei are often characterized as "rubble piles" or "fluffy aggregates" with low binding strength and high porosity, they are particularly susceptible to this process. A well-documented example is Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which was captured into orbit around Jupiter and subsequently torn into a string of fragments when it passed within 1.3 Jupiter radii of the planet in 1992. These fragments later collided with Jupiter in 1994, providing a dramatic demonstration of the destructive power of tidal disruption.215