2007-01-23 03:32:05 · 7 answers · asked by Ptolemy 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It gives off light because it's glowing hot, due to the ram pressure (not friction) of entering the atmosphere.
2007-01-23 03:37:04 · answer #1 · answered by TimmyD 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Timmy D is correct.
The meteor is coming in so fast (the Perseids, in August, enter the atmosphere at close to 70 km/s = over 150,000 mi/h that the air is "rammed" from the front of the meteoroid.
The bright glow that we see if from the air just a tiny bit ahead of the meteoroid. The heat (and the friction) will ablate the meteoroid so that, in most cases, it turns into microscopic dust that mixes with the upper air. If the piece is big enough so that friction does have time to heat it up, then it would glow red.
If by that time it is still going full speed, the white glow hides the reddish friction glow.
"For example, a meteor traveling through the Earth's atmosphere produces a shock wave generated by the extremely rapid compression of air in front of the meteoroid. It is primarily this ram pressure (rather than friction) which heats the air which in turn heats the meteoroid as it flows around it." Wikipedia/Ram_pressure
2007-01-23 12:08:45 · answer #2 · answered by Raymond 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's actually NOT due to friction or the rock glowing red hot. That's a very common misconception, even held by some astronomers. (And, I have to admit, I tell little kids it's due to friction, because the real reason is kinda complex).
What's really going on is the rock from space is coming into our atmosphere so fast that it is compressing the air in front of it. When you compress air, it heats up - you might have noticed this if you've ever used a (manual) bicycle air pump. This heat causes the air molecules to ionize (temporarily lose and electron or several). When the electrons rejoins the molecule, they give off light - that's the meteor we see. (See why I don't bother explaining this to little kids?)
By the way, ionization is also the reason we have aurora, except here it's charged particles from the solar wind that hit our atmosphere, causing the atmospheric molecules to lose and then regain electrons, creating the glow.
2007-01-23 15:23:36 · answer #3 · answered by kris 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Friction you think thats bad coming into the atmosphere in my own jet looking out the window noticing all the yellow flames trying to figure out whats burning is somthing no one has ever thought of it before how did I do that.
2007-01-23 14:11:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My brother told me that when he was praying about mother, if she was OK in heaven.to show him a sign.that she was OK. then suddenly he looked up and a great big shooting star came blazing across the sky,and he said it had colours in it.
its caused by the friction of the air against the rock coming down from space burning up in the air.I found one in a stream once and my girlfriend gave me one. she said she actually saw it come down and land on the road.which is pretty amazing
2007-01-23 12:03:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Friction.
2007-01-23 11:49:48 · answer #6 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
By burning up from friction in the atmosphere.
2007-01-23 11:36:31 · answer #7 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋