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Chapter 17: Problem 30

When is a meteoroid termed a meteor? When is it termed a meteorite?

Short Answer

Expert verified
A meteoroid is termed a meteor when it glows in the atmosphere, and a meteorite when it lands on Earth.

Step by step solution

01

Define a Meteoroid

A meteoroid is any small body from outer space that enters the Earth's atmosphere. These are smaller than asteroids and range in size from small grains to 1 meter-wide objects.
02

Explore When a Meteoroid Becomes a Meteor

When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and begins to burn up due to friction with the air, it emits light and becomes visible in the sky. This glowing phenomenon is called a meteor or commonly known as a 'shooting star'.
03

Distinguish Between a Meteor and a Meteorite

If a meteoroid survives its fiery passage through the Earth's atmosphere and lands on the Earth's surface, it is then termed a meteorite. Meteorites can vary widely in their size, composition, and origin.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

meteor
When a meteoroid from outer space enters the Earth's atmosphere, something special happens. It interacts with the air, creating intense frictional heat.
This heat causes the meteoroid to glow brightly as it speeds through the sky, visible to us as a meteor.
  • Meteors are fascinating because they look like streaks of light or shooting stars in the night sky.
  • This glowing tail that we see is actually the meteoroid being vaporized before our eyes.
  • The tails are usually bright and fast, lasting only a few seconds as they shoot across the sky.
Each meteor is a small piece of cosmic material that is temporarily putting on a spectacular show before it disappears. They are usually the size of a grain of sand and rarely reach the Earth's surface intact.
meteorite
A meteorite is a special remnant of meteoroids. When we talk about meteorites, we're discussing the bits of rock and metal that manage to survive their fiery journey through Earth鈥檚 atmosphere.
While most meteoroids burn up on entry, sometimes they survive and land on Earth's surface as meteorites.
  • Meteorites can range from being as tiny as pebbles to massive boulders.
  • They are valuable to scientists because they offer clues about the history and composition of our solar system.
  • Identifying a meteorite can be tricky, but usually, they have a burnt and pitted surface from their fiery descent.
The journey from a meteoroid to a meteorite is extraordinary, as these objects transition from cosmic wanderers to earthly treasures.
Earth's atmosphere
The Earth's atmosphere is a crucial player in the metamorphosis of a meteoroid into a meteor or meteorite.
This layer of gases surrounding our planet acts as a great protector by burning up many small space rocks before they can reach the ground.
  • When meteoroids hit the atmosphere at high speeds, air resistance causes them to heat up immensely, often disintegrating in the process.
  • The atmosphere consists of layers such as the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and more鈥攅ach offering varying levels of protection.
  • Our atmosphere not only provides safety but also creates beautiful celestial displays when meteoroids become meteors.
Without Earth鈥檚 atmosphere, meteoroids would strike our planet far more frequently, possibly causing damage. Its shielding presence ensures that most space debris burns up long before they can cause harm.

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