SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -A meteorite impact occurs when a rocky, metallic (typically iron), or icy body that had been orbiting the Sun passes through the atmosphere to hit the Earth’s surface.

Detailed explanation-2: -Researchers said in the statement that the moon is hit by small rocks more often than Earth because it has only a tenuous atmosphere, while Earth’s is thick enough for many space rocks to burn up before they can reach the surface.

Detailed explanation-3: -The force of gravity on a meteorite (mass m = 20 kg) above the Earth is F =-GMm/r2 r. Calculate the work done by gravity if the meteorite falls from r = 2R to r = R where R = 6370 km (the radius of the earth).