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What is a meteorite?
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer spacethat survives an impact with the Earth's surface. A meteoroid is a sand to boulder sized particle of debris inth…e Solar System. The visible path of a meteoroid that entersEarth's (or another body's) atmosphere is called a meteor . If a meteoroid reaches the ground, it is then called a meteorite . It will exhibit its original composition but alsothe effects (mostly melting) of its descent through the atmosphere. For an example, see related link. A meteor is the flash of light caused when a space rock passes intothe Earth's atmosphere and is heated to incandescence by frictionand compressive heating. If the space rock is not destroyed, therock fragment that hits the ground is called a "meteorite". A meteorite is a rock found on the surface of the planet that hascome from space. In space they are called meteoroids, when seenburning in our atmosphere as shooting stars they are called meteorsand when found as rocks on the surface, having survived the journeythrough our atmosphere, they are called meteorites. Essentiallythey are all the same thing, but the name changes depending onwhere they are. Meteorites are naturally-occurring chunks of rock in space that have fallen onto the surface of Earth or other planetary bodies. Before hitting another body, they are called "meteoroids". The definition (by size) of dust, meteoroids, and asteroids is vague and has not been officially defined. ( Full Answer )