Meteorite
Synonyms
Asteroid; Bolide; Meteor; Meteoroid
Definition
A meteorite is a mass of solid material (either stony or metallic) on the surface of the Earth that came from space.
Discussion
The word meteorite is used for such an object on the surface of the Earth. In space, it is called a meteoroid if small or an asteroid if large (there is no strict dividing line between a meteoroid and an asteroid: typically, a diameter of about 1 km is used, but usage varies within wide limits). A meteor is the bright streak in the sky that accompanies the entry of a meteoroid into the Earth’s atmosphere. A meteor that exhibits one or more bright explosions is called a bolide.
Most meteorites originate in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but a few come from the surfaces of larger planets, such as Mars or the Moon. Some volatile-rich types may come from comets. Meteorites are classified as stony, iron (metallic), and stony-iron. Stony meteorites, which are about 40 times more abundant in space...
Bibliography
- Dodd, R. T., 1981. Meteorites: A Petrologic-chemical Synthesis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 368 pp.Google Scholar
- Lauretta, D. S., and McSween, H. Y. Jr. (eds.), (2006). Meteorites and the Early Solar System II. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. 943 pp.Google Scholar
- Wasson, J. T., 1985. Meteorites: Their Record of Early Solar-system History. New York: Freeman. 267 pp.Google Scholar