Asteroids, meteors, and meteorites are all space rocks. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have different meanings and differences. An asteroid is a large rocky body in space, orbiting the sun. Asteroids are the leftovers from the formation of the solar system. In the formation of the solar system, a giant cloud of gas and dust collapsed to form the sun and other material formed rocky terrestrial and giant gas planets orbiting the sun. The remainder smaller dust particles were left behind as asteroids. Most asteroids are found in the main asteroid belt, a region between Mars and Jupiter. Although mostly made of rock, some asteroids are also composed of nickel and iron. Sometimes, an asteroid can smash into another, causing breaking off of small pieces of asteroids, called meteoroids. If a meteoroid comes close enough to the Earth and enters its atmosphere, and it vaporizes, it turns into a meteor. This vaporization occurs because the resistance on the rock due to the Earth’s atmosphere causes its temperature to rise.
A meteor is often called a shooting star, because of its appearance as a streak of light across the sky. When meteoroid rocks don’t vaporize completely in the earth’s atmosphere and land as rocks on the earth’s surface, they are referred to as meteorites. Meteorites are categorized as stone or iron, with iron meteorites composed of 90% iron and stony ones made of oxygen, iron, silicon, magnesium, and other elements (Atkinson, 2015). The difference between asteroids, meteors, and meteorites all comes down to a question of location and size. Asteroids are always found in space. Once it enters an atmosphere, it becomes a meteor, and then a meteorite after it hits the ground. Each is made of the same basic materials (minerals and rock), and each originated in space. The main difference is where they are when they are being observed (Atkinson, 2015).
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Because asteroids pass very close to the Earth’s orbit around the sun, sometimes they hit Earth . However, the majority of these events are unpredictable and go unnoticed, as they land in uninhabited forest or land or oceans, lakes, or seas (Atkinson, 2015). There is only one documented person in history ever to be hit directly by a meteorite. Ann Hodges from Alabama was hit in the thigh by a nine-pound meteorite on November 30, 1954 (Eschner, 2016).
In comparison to other rocky solar system bodies, the Earth exhibits fewer craters. Impact craters are caused by the collision of meteors or comets with the Earth. Craters are the most common surface features on many solid planets and moons. There are reasons as to why the earth has fewer craters. First, the earth's plate tectonics which is responsible for earthquakes and mountain ranges are continuously reshaping the earth’s surface, thus eroding craters. Processes such as rain, subduction, wind, and erosion are also responsible for washing away of craters. Lastly, the earth has an atmosphere, unlike other bodies of the solar system such as the moon. In the atmosphere, incoming objects are burnt up and exploded, meaning they don't get to hit the earth and those that do are usually small and incapable of causing craters (“Shaping the planets” (n.d)).
Response
Ashley Wipff, in her post, clearly shows the difference between meteors, asteroids, and meteorites. I agree with her definitions of these objects, but I'd like to know their differences in terms of composition and location in the solar system. I agree with her reasoning as to why the impacts of these objects go unnoticed, and the use of a direct quotation from someone's work provides an even more precise explanation. However, I'm not sure that the explanation as to why earth exhibits few craters compared to other solar system bodies is evident. I feel like more reasons, and even examples could be used to explain this. She also mentions that “other forces” have caused erosion of craters on earth. I’m interested to know what some of these forces are. Overall, I think the post is excellent and gives the reader an understanding of the space rocks and what their impact on earth is.
Christopher Turman’s post is very well written. I appreciate that he derives his definitions of the space rocks by quoting directly from a book. Based on these definitions, it is easy to spot the differences in the space rocks. I agree with the explanation as to why earth has few craters since the aspects of volcanic activity and erosion are well explained. My only concern is that his work is drawn from one text and I’d be interested to know if there are other sources that he used in writing his post.
References
Lunar and Planetary Institute. Shaping the Planets: Impact Cratering Retrieved from: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/shaping_the_planets/impact-cratering/
Nancy Atkinson (2015, June 3).The difference between asteroids and meteorites. Retrieved from: https://phys.org/news/2015-06-difference-asteroids-meteorites.html
Kat Eschner (2016, 30 November). For the Only Person Ever Hit by a Meteorite, the Real Trouble Began Later. Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/only-person-ever-hit-meteorite-real-trouble-began-later-180961238/#gvXqMMvHiv4izzSP.99
