EVERYDAY SCIENCE

SCIENCE

EARTH SCIENCE

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
What distinguishes a meteorite from a meteor?
A
A meteorite lands on Earth’s surface.
B
A meteorite flashes in the sky and disappears.
C
A meteorite stays in space.
D
None of the above
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes, it becomes a meteor, which is often called a shooting star. Meteorite: If a small asteroid or large meteoroid survives its fiery passage through the Earth’s atmosphere and lands on Earth’s surface, it is then called a meteorite.

Detailed explanation-2: -When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors. When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite.

Detailed explanation-3: -Meteors do not land on the surface of the earth. Meteorites land on the surface of the earth. Meteoroids break down in the earth’s atmosphere, which results in the flash of light known as meteors. Meteorites are the broken meteoroids that land on the earth.

Detailed explanation-4: -Meteoroids become meteors when they crash into Earth’s atmosphere and the gases surrounding them briefly light up as “shooting stars.” While most meteors burn up and disintegrate in the atmosphere, many of these space rocks reach Earth’s surface in the form of meteorites.

Detailed explanation-5: -meteor: A meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up. meteorite: A meteoroid, especially one that has hit Earth’s surface. asteroid: A rocky object that orbits the sun and has an average size between a meteoroid and a planet.

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