Chapter 13: Meteoroid, Asteroid, Comet Flashcards
What is a meteoroid?
A floating piece of stone and metal that moves in space
What is an asteroid?
Asteroid is a large metal and rocky body that travels around the Sun in its own orbit
What is a comet?
A comet is a small body made up of a mixture of ice, gas and frozen dust that also travels around the Sun in its own orbit
State the size range of a meteoroid
10ųm-1m (ų=micro)
What made up meteoroid?
stones and metals
From where did meteoroids originate?
asteroid and comets
What is meteoroid’s surface temperature?
0℃
Does the meteoroid has an orbit?
no
What is the meteoroid’s fastest travelling speed?
42kms per second
State the size range of an asteroid
1m-1000km
What is an asteroid made up of?
stones and metals
What is the surface temperature of an asteroid?
-73℃
What is an asteroids average speed?
25km/s per second
Where is the asteroid belt?
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
State 3 types of asteroid
C type -> made out of carbon
S type -> made out of silicate materials
M type ->metallic
Which has a bigger impact, meteoroid or asteroid?
asteroid, cause it’s bigger in size
What are the 2 main parts of a comet?
head and tail
How long can the tail and head of comet reach?
tail: 150 000 000km
head: 250 000km
How is a comet formed?
comprises gas and water that freeze into ice, dust and rocky particles
What is the comet’s orbit shape?
elliptical
What is the comet’s average speed range?
10km/s per second - 70km/s per second
What is the ‘last seen’ comet?
Halley’s comet, appeared last in 1986
State the movement of a meteoroid
Meteoroid(in space) →Meteor(enters the earth atmosphere)→meteorite (on earth’s surface)
It moves because of the strong gravity pull of other planets/ earth
State the movement of an asteroid
Orbits outside the asteroid belt intersect with the orbit of Earth→collisions happen
What are the three asteroid orbits that are outside of the asteroid belts?
apollo
aten
amor
State the movement of a comet
move faster to the Earth, melts and appears to have a long tail (rail always away from sun)→ strong gravatitional pull causes it to slip out of orbit→crash to the earth
What are the 3 projects made to protect earth from asteroid impacts?
DE-STAR: Deflect asteroid and comets endangering the planet
Kinetic impacter: Defleact asteroid into different direction
Nuclear bomb: break asteroids
