EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -There are two major types of stony meteorites: chondrites and achondrites. Chondrites themselves are classified into two major groups: ordinary and carbonaceous. Ordinary chondrites are the most common type of stony meteorite, accounting for 86 percent of all meteorites that have fallen to Earth.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are two main types of stony meteorite: chondrites (some of the oldest materials in the solar system) and achondrites (including meteorites from asteroids, Mars and the Moon). Both chondrites and achondrites have many subgroups based on their compositions, structures and the minerals they contain.

Detailed explanation-3: -Of these, 99.8 percent come from asteroids. The remaining small fraction (0.2 percent) of meteorites is split roughly equally between meteorites from Mars and the Moon. The over 60 known Martian meteorites were blasted off Mars by meteoroid impacts. All are igneous rocks crystallized from magma.

Detailed explanation-4: -Meteorites traditionally have been divided into three broad categories-stony meteorites (or stones), iron meteorites (irons), and stony iron meteorites (stony irons)-on the basis of the proportions of rock-forming minerals and nickel-iron (also called iron-nickel) metal alloy they contain.

Detailed explanation-5: -A meteoroid is a chunk of rock or metal from space that falls through the atmosphere, or layer of gases, surrounding Earth. Most meteoroids burn up in the atmosphere. This creates a bright streak of light called a meteor. Meteors are also called shooting stars.