2006-11-12 10:37:21 · 10 answers · asked by scienceizmyshat 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
1. At this stage of the life of the Solar System, there are not many large meteorites left to intersect the Earth's orbit. The gravitational fields of the large outer planets, especially Jupiter, have had the effect of either hoovering them up, or shepherding them into stable orbits in the asteroid belt.
2. The Earth is small compared to the separation between large meteorites. If it was twice the diameter, it would get four times as many impacts, just like an archery target.
3. Large meteorites reach the surface with so much energy that they usually disintegrate, instead of staying in one piece. The fragments can disappear by erosion much quicker than the crater does.
2006-11-13 08:09:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1.Most objects that retain large size when they hit Earth are completely destroyed upon impact,as is the surrounding landscape.That's why we have evidence of such impacts (craters) but no sizeable material remains of the object.
2.Objects of that size rarely strike the Earth at all.That's why you're here to ask the question in the first place.Something huge ramming us from on high could end all life as we know it.It's lucky for us that the impact craters here on Earth were caused long before we were around.
3.Time and erosion wear away or bury most of the evidence.See #2...it's a time thing.Impacts of large scale happen so rarely that the elements have time to erase most traces.
2006-11-12 20:50:37 · answer #2 · answered by Danny 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1 with the vastness of space the probability of a large meteorite hitting earth is very small
2 none have hit for a long time and Erosion would destroy the evidence over time not to mention plant growth overgrowing and hiding evidence
3 I don't really have a third... I don't know the Government?
2006-11-12 18:42:17 · answer #3 · answered by Maverick off Top Gun 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One is because, unlike many other planets, earth has a dense atmosphere which burns up most meteorites as they pass through.
2006-11-12 18:40:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
They are rare to start with.
They blow up to smithereens when impacting the ground, if they were not broken down into small bits while traversing the atmosphere.
They may not be made of material that survive for long (erosion).
2006-11-12 18:41:16 · answer #5 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Jupiter is humungous therefore it has a greater gavitational pull. Also Earth is one of the rock planets(smaller). They have less gravitational pull. Most meteroites come from outer parts of space like pluto or Neptune.
2006-11-12 19:16:42 · answer #6 · answered by STAN 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Smaller sized ones are usually burned up entering the earth's atmosphere.
Larger ones that don't burn up land in uninhabited areas.
Due to their speed those that do survive re-entry usually end up burying themselves.
2006-11-12 18:43:10 · answer #7 · answered by WHY? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, small one burn up when they enter the atmosphere and they never reach the ground. Bigger one also burn up, but some of the material gets to hit the ground. But by then, they are way smaller.
2006-11-12 19:32:00 · answer #8 · answered by kihela 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because they are made of mostly ice and the earths atmosphere burns them up before they hit the crust of the earth...unless they are bigger then a car
2006-11-12 18:38:48 · answer #9 · answered by Gary G 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Also, because Jupiter attracts and consumes many of the metiorites that enter our solar system.
2006-11-12 18:39:52 · answer #10 · answered by Jess B 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋