SOLAR SYSTEM

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: -In simplest terms, a meteorite is a rock that falls to Earth from space. Meteorites are rocks, but they are not like Earth rocks. Most are far older, and they provide some of the only samples we have of other worlds – other planets, asteroids and possibly comets – in our solar system.

Detailed explanation-3: -A meteor is what happens when a small piece of an asteroid or comet, called a meteoroid, burns up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-4: -A meteoroid is a piece of stony or metallic debris which travels in outer space. Meteoroids travel around the Sun in a variety of orbits and at various speeds. The fastest meteoroids move at about 42 kilometers per second. Most meteoroids are about the size of a pebble.

Detailed explanation-5: -meteorite vs. meteoroid. A meteoroid is “a small, rocky or metallic body revolving in interplanetary space around the sun. A meteoroid is significantly smaller than an asteroid, ranging from small grains or particles to the size of large boulders.” In other words, a meteoroid is a “space rock” smaller than an asteroid.