Chap 13

Question 1

Whats a meteoroid

Answer 1

a floating piece of stone n metal that moves in space

Question 2

whats an asteroid

Answer 2

a large metal n rocky body that travels around the sun in its own orbit

Question 3

whats a comet

Answer 3

a small body made up of a mixture of ice, gas and frozen dust. it travels around the sun in its own orbit

Question 4

State the characteristics of a meteoroid

Answer 4

• appears in various sizes, from 10 μm to 1m
• made up of stones n metals such as iron n nickel
• originates from fragments of asteroids n comets
• its surface temp in outer space is abt 0 C
  -travels at varying speed, fastest meteoroid travels at 42 km s-1

Question 5

state the characteristics of an asteroid

Answer 5

• size starts frm 1m to 1000km
  -made up of stones n metals such as iron n nickel
  -has a cold surface temp approx -73 C
  -travels around the sun at an average speed of 25 kms-1
• asteroids form an asteroid belt between the orbits of mars n jupiter
  -large asteroids such as ceres, pallas , Juno n Vesta hv diameters of a few km to 1000 km
• asteroids r also known as small planets

Question 6

state the characteristics of a comet

Answer 6

-consists of two main parts, a head n tail
- the length of the tail of a comet can reach up to 150 000 000km. the size of the head can reach up to 250 000km
-comprises gas n water that freeze into ice , dust n rocky particles
- travels around the sun in its own elliptical orbit
- travels at an average speed range of 10kms-1 to 70kms-1

Question 7

what r the differences between a meteoroid, asteroid n comet

Answer 7

• size
  -structure
  -shape

Question 8

asteroids n comets move through

Answer 8

their own orbit around the sun

Question 9

Meteoroids move

Answer 9

freely in space

Question 10

meteoroids are influenced by the gravitational pull of

Answer 10

planets, the moon n other objects around it

Question 11

why r meteoroids more easily influenced by smaller gravitational pulls

Answer 11

• bcuz of the smaller size n mass of the meteoroids

Question 12

craters will form as a result of

Answer 12

meteorite impact

Question 13

when a meteoroid enters the earth’s atmosphere , it will be called a

Answer 13

meteor

Question 14

asteroids move at an avg speed of

Answer 14

25kms-1

Question 15

most asteroids are in the

Answer 15

asteroid belt

Question 16

state 3 asteroids that orbit outside of the asteroid belts

Answer 16

• apollo
  -amor
  -aten

Question 17

collision can happen between asteroids n the earth at the

Answer 17

intersection point or trails near the orbit of the earth n orbit of the asteroids

Question 18

collisions w large asteroids can result in

Answer 18

the destruction of living things on the earth

Question 19

most comets r from the

Answer 19

kuiper belt n the oort cloud

Question 20

why does a comet have a long tail

Answer 20

when it gets closer to the sun, it increases in speed and the heat from the sun melts it

Question 21

why is the tail of a comet always away from the sun

Answer 21

-solar wind blowing frm the sun

Question 22

what can cause a comet to slip out of its orbit easily

Answer 22

strong gravitational pull of outer planets

Question 23

what happens to asteroids that approach the earth

Answer 23

• may be destroyed or hv its course changed