SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -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-2: -Meteoroids are what meteorites are called while still in space (5). Meteors are “the streaks of light we see at night as small meteoroids burns up passing through our atmosphere” (1) Shooting stars are “small pieces of rock or dust that hit Earth’s atmosphere from space” (2). They include meteors and fireballs (1).

Detailed explanation-3: -Answer: The pieces that do strike Earth’s surface are called meteorites. Both meteors and meteorites can become natural hazards to the communities they impact. Very large meteors called bolides may explode in the atmosphere with the force of 500 kilotons of TNT.