GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -Meteoroids are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. Think of them as “space rocks.” 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.

Detailed explanation-2: -A meteor is made up of bits of dust and rock that broke away from colliding asteroids, comets, or planets. Most of these chunks of rock and metal burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere and become meteoroids. If they reach Earth’s surface we call them meteorites.

Detailed explanation-3: -The heat causes gases around the meteoroid to glow brightly. This glowing meteoroid is called a meteor, sometimes nicknamed a “shooting star.” Most meteoroids that enter Earth’s atmosphere disintegrate before they reach the ground. The pieces that do strike Earth’s surface are called meteorites.

Detailed explanation-4: -The gases in the mesosphere are now thick enough to slow down meteors hurtling into the atmosphere, where they burn up, leaving fiery trails in the night sky. Both the stratosphere (next layer down) and the mesosphere are considered the middle atmosphere.