2007-10-04 12:26:55 · 4 answers · asked by shawn l 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
A meteor which is sometimes called as a 'shooting star' is a fragment of solid material(iron or stone) which enters the upper regions of the atmosphere.Its exact origin is somtimes unknown.Usually they revolve around the sun or any other object in the interplanetary space and are too small to be called asteroid or comet.Its trail is made visible by the compression of the air in front of the meteor(this occurs at a height of 80 to 110 Kms from the surface of the earth), the meteor itself evaporating in the air.Sometimes the word 'meteor" is used to refer to the visible trail only,the particle itself being termed as 'meteoroid'.A meteor which is large enough to survive passage through the earth's atmosphere and reach the ground is called 'meteorite'.Most meteors are visible for one or two seconds only.Occasionally,a very large meteor may have a luminous trial that persists for half an hour or more.
2007-10-05 01:17:28 · answer #1 · answered by Arasan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A student once answered that question on an exam with the following poem:
A meteor is the flash of light
Made by a passing meteorite
As it scores the sky of night
I hope to goodness this is right!
The student made an "A." A meteor is the streak of light that we see when a meteorite (falling space rock) burns or partially burns in the atmosphere.
2007-10-04 12:34:02 · answer #2 · answered by aviophage 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A meteor is a speck of dust or rock that is burning up in our atmosphere because of friction with the atoms in the air, and emits a burning light trail as it soars through the atmosphere. Most burn up completely to ash.
A meteorite is that rock AFTER it hits the ground if it did not burn up completely as it fell to the ground.
2007-10-04 12:52:25 · answer #3 · answered by B. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A rock that fall thru the atmosphere but does not hit the earth, if it hits the earth it becomes a meteorite
2007-10-04 14:30:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋