Meteoroid, Meteor, and Meteorite Flashcards
What is a meteoroid?
A meteoroid is debris, usually rocky or metallic, that orbits the solar system.
What happens when a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere?
When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up, it creates a streak of light and becomes a meteor.
What are meteors commonly called?
Meteors are often called shooting stars or falling stars. When they are brighter than Venus, they are called fireballs.
What is a meteorite?
A meteorite is a meteoroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and reaches Earth’s surface.
What causes meteor showers?
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through a comet’s debris-rich path as it orbits the sun, often every year.
Where do meteoroids typically come from?
Meteoroids are believed to come from asteroids, pieces of the moon and Mars, or comet fragments.
What are the main compositions of meteoroids?
Meteoroids are mainly composed of nickel and iron, but some are similar to Earth’s chondrites.
What are the three types of meteorites?
The three types of meteorites are iron (metallic), stony (rocky), and stony-iron (combination of rocky and metallic).
What is the difference between meteorology and the study of meteors?
Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, weather, and climate, not meteors. People who study meteors are called meteorists.
What is the origin of the word “meteor”?
The word “meteor” comes from the Greek word “meteoros,” meaning “high in the air.”
