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Because some meteors are huge ! Most meteors burn up in the atmosphere - due to the friction of the air 'melting' the rock. However - if it's travelling fast enough and is large enough, a meteor could (and many have) actually hit the Earth's surface.
Take the recent example of the 'near miss' we had. That meteor was estimated to have been as big as a house - there's no way that would have burned up in the atmosphere if it was on a direct course for Earth. The resultant tidal wave and/or explosion would have caused massive devastation around the planet. Fortunately, it 'skimmed past' us and headed back out into space.
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What does the ozone hole allow to reach Earth's surface?
The ozone hole allows some radiations to reach the earth's surface. These radiations are high energy UV radiations.
Why doesn't meteor hit the Earth's surface?
Yes, they do. Just this week (January 18, 2010) a meteor crashed through the roof of a doctor's office in Virginia and landed on the floor of the examining room. Granted, MOST meteors burn up in the atmosphere and don't survive the passage. But some do.
Why do all meteors do not strike the earth?
They will usually have an orbit that doesn't take them anywhere near Earth and some burn up completely in the atmosphere and so they do not reach the ground.
Why don't really large meteors hit earth?
There are much less "really large" meteors than small ones. However, Earth has been hit in the past by such meteors, and it is likely that it will be hit again at some moment. For example, about 65 million years ago, a meteor impact resulted in the elimination of dinosaurs (and in fact of many species).
Does only the moon have craters?
No, Earth has some craters, but not as many because Earth has an atmosphere to destroy or smallen meteors, but the moon does not, so it is hit by meteors more3 often.
How does radiation directed at the Earth fail to reach the surface?
Some of it is reflected back into space. Some of it is absorbed by the atmosphere. Some of it is scattered by the atmosphere.
How a diamond reaches earth?
Some meteors contain diamonds; their origin is unknown.
Meteors are rocks from outer space that?
Meteors are rocks from outer space that strike the Earth's atmosphere and are heated to incandescence (glowing heat) by friction. Most are completely vaporized, but some do fall to Earth.
Can fire really burn off asteroids or meteors?
Friction with the Earth's atmosphere really does destroy the smaller meteors that fall toward the earth. That friction makes the object so hot that it looks like a fire, but it is really just friction - not a fire. Asteroids and meteors do not burn with fire. They are traveling at speeds from 17,000 mph to 50,000 mph relative to earth so that when they enter earth's atmosphere friction with the air heats them white hot which melts their surfaces, thermal stresses can cause them to explode in the air, and the smaller ones vaporize. Some can make it to the surface of the earth still red hot and if they land on flammable material can ignite fires. Some are large enough that they collide with the earth's surface with enough remaining velocity that they explode underground creating impact craters.
What are comets and meteors made of?
Comets and meteors are made of rocks and boulders same as on earth. But since they are in space for a long time, they might have some differences, little differences.
Why are some meteors sometimes called as falling stars?
Before people knew what meteors were, they thought that they were stars which were falling from the sky towards earth.
Why does the moon have craters on its surface by meteors?
Cause some meteaors randomly come down on it. Cause some meteaors randomly come down on it.
