A large impact would send shock waves throughout the Earth, causing earthquakes and possibly stimulating volcanism. In addition, the material thrown into the atmosphere would block out the sun's light, reducing photosynthesis.
The effects on Earth will vary depending on the size and makeup of the asteroid and where it hits. Asteroid strikes have led to minor and major extinction events due to environmental impacts.
A large asteroid striking the Earth could have severe effects on life on the planet. A part of an asteroid is thought to have collided with Earth 65 million years ago, throwing up atmospheric dust that killed plants and lowered temperatures. This period is associated with the death of most species of dinosaurs.
Impact Effects
The effects of a large asteroid collision would be catastrophic. The initial impact can create massive plumes of earth and debris and generate massive tidal waves, while secondary effects can include widespread showers of falling debris (generating firestorms and above-ground detonations). Severity of all these effects (whether they are local disasters or global catastrophes) are based upon the size of the object.
Shock Wave
- Air: blast wave
- Ground: ground shock
- Water: water compression wave - tsunami
Thermal Radiation
- Flash
- Fireball
Electromagnetic Effects
- Electromagnetic pulse (EMP)
- Ionizing radiation
Debris and Aerosols
Secondary Effects
- Mass fires
- Earthquakes/landslides/volcanoes
- Dust and impact winter
- Oxygen depletion
- Gas evolution and acid rain
- Magnetic pole reversal
- Extreme weather conditions
It would depend on a lot of variables. The size, the angle, the speed, what it's made of - all these would determine the amound of damage an asteroid would do to the Earth. For example, one asteroid the size of a house fell toward New York some time in the 1950s (I think), but the atmosphere eroded it enough that it was the size of a softball when it finally hit, so the only damage was to the back end of the car that was hit.
On the other hand, the asteroid believed to have destroyed the dinosaurs is believed to have been the size of Mount Everest, and came toward the Earth at nearly a 90 degree angle, which is the worst possible approach an ateroid can make. The effect on the planet was pretty massive. Everything at the impact sight and for hundreds of miles in diameter would have been killed or destroyed immediately, due to the heat and force of the impact. The shockwave would extend beyond that, causing waves of rock and dirt to fly for miles beyond. The force would also cause tidal waves worldwide, making for even more damage. Finally, the real killer of the dinos, the force of the asteroid would cause tons of dirt and dust into the upper atmosphere, where it would block out the Sun for years. That would kill off most vegetation, which would in turn kill off most plant eating creatures, then finally the meat eating creatures would soon follow.
Lastly, some people may wonder what it would take to destroy the Earth completely. Most astronomers believe that even an asteroid the size of Mars wouldn't destroy the Earth completely. Almost all life (except maybe some microscopic life) would be wiped out, but the planet would survive, albeit with a pretty large scar. It woul take something roughly the same size as Earth to completely take it out, something like Venus. If they somehow collided or an asteroid the size of Venus came toward us, the impact would shatter both bodies to bits. Of course, the chances of that actually happening is estimated at around 5% over the next six billion years, so we have little to worry about.
Do you mean one asteroid colliding with another? If so, they can be relatively insignificant if one of the asteroids is small.
Any asteroids that can collide with each other that haven't done so already in the billions of years the solar system has existed are likely in very similar orbits and moving with very similar speeds in approximately the same direction, so for the most part it takes two substantially sized bodies colliding for there to be any real, er, impact.
The atmosphere ahead of the asteroid is compressed and superheated, which in turn vaporizes and melts the asteroid's surface. If it is small enough it may disintegrate as it travels. In some cases a shockwave and/or fragments may reach the surface. In a worst case scenario the object may reach the ground relatively intact.
Technically, asteroids do not hit the Earth, meteorites do. Here's the difference:
Now, that being delineated, a meteorite can do anywhere from no noticeable damage (as in the case with the billion or so tons of micro-meteorites that strike annually) to an ELE (Extinction Level Event) such as that which is theorized to have ended the dinosaurs.
an asteroid could cause total extinction to everything, earthquakes and tremors.
Depending on the size of the asteroid many different things may happen when it hit the earth. If the asteroid is large enough it could cause the earth to go into a second ice age.
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No, if the Earth was destroyed by an asteroid we would not be living today.
It depends completely on how large the asteroid is, how far away it is, and how effectively you want it destroyed (vaporised, knocked off course or broken into manageable chunks).
Which asteroid? depending on its size, an asteroid impact could be devastating for life on Earth, though life would recover somehow eventually.
Yes there are multiple, but none are likely to hit in our lifetime. But there is a small chance of one hitting us. But its not like one of those doomsday things when its almost as big as earth. It would be devastating though.
It isn't unique; it has happened before, and will probably happen again. We just don't know when. If we detect it early enough, there's a good chance that we would be able to move it enough to capture it in orbit; the mass of an asteroid in orbit would be IMMENSELY valuable in the construction of space habitats.
An asteroid or meteor that would cause climatic change, about 1 in 600,000 to 1 in 10,000,000.
Small asteroids can be deflected by explosives (ordinary or nuclear) if they are far enough away. The problem is getting the explosives there. Asteroids travel at orbital speeds of thousands of kilometers an hour, and a large rocket would be required to reach the asteroid and match its speed, so that it could rendezvous and detonate. Hitting an asteroid with a head-on shot would be extremely difficult if not impossible, and could result in a shower of smaller pieces hitting the Earth.
No, if the Earth was destroyed by an asteroid we would not be living today.
It depends completely on how large the asteroid is, how far away it is, and how effectively you want it destroyed (vaporised, knocked off course or broken into manageable chunks).
Depends on the mass of the asteroid
Which asteroid? depending on its size, an asteroid impact could be devastating for life on Earth, though life would recover somehow eventually.
Yes there are multiple, but none are likely to hit in our lifetime. But there is a small chance of one hitting us. But its not like one of those doomsday things when its almost as big as earth. It would be devastating though.
A black hole would eventually swallow up the entire Earth. An asteroid would provoke great catastrophes - depending, of course, on the mass of the asteroid.
An asteroid would hit earth first
The asteroid belt is not a single object. You would have to assess the gravity on each asteroid individually.
The Asteroid would be slowly sucked in my Earth's gravitational forces. If it is traveling at a high speed it could plummet towards earth. This may or may not be fatal to the Earth's population. I could quite possibly dislodge enough dust into the atmosphere to be fatal to all beings on the Planet. However if the asteroid is not travelling at a high speed it would orbit around the earth until disturbed. Hope this helps.
The effects would only combine for an object outside the Earth-Moon system (such as an asteroid). Otherwise, objects near the Earth and Moon will experience gravitational effects from both. The Earth's gravity holds the Moon in its orbit, and the Moon's gravity affects the Earth, notably causing the ocean tides.