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Meteorites begin as asteroids, which are loose rock in space formed either from pre-planetary accretion, or from impact with larger bodies such as planets or moons. Asteroids are attracted to Earth because of it's gravitational pull. When the asteroid enters Earth's atmosphere it becomes a meteoride, when it lights up due to friction it becomes a meteor, and when it hits Earth's surface, it is called a meteorite.

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Which layer of the atmosphere protects Earth's surface from being hit by the most meteoroids?

The mesosphere protects the earth from most meteoroids.


Are most meteoroids smaller than pebbles or bigger than boulders?

Meteoroids are smaller than asteroids; most are smaller than the size of a pebble.


What are meteoroids formed from?

Meteoroids, like the planets, were formed from the solar systems accretion disc. The rotational energy kept the entire system mass from falling into the Sun. the rest of the material continued to orbit and coalesce. The accretion disc was formed from interstellar dust and gas from previous stars that had burned through their fuel and exploded.


Do most the meteoroids burn up the stratosphere?

yes


In which atmospheric layer do most meteoroids break up?

Most meteoroids break up in the mesosphere, which is the layer of the atmosphere located between the stratosphere and the thermosphere. This is where most meteoroids encounter enough friction and pressure from the atmosphere to burn up and disintegrate before reaching the Earth's surface.


Where did meteoroids originate?

Meteoroids primarily originate from two sources: asteroids and comets. Most meteoroids are fragments of asteroids, particularly from the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. Comets, when they approach the Sun, shed debris that can also become meteoroids. Additionally, some meteoroids can originate from the Moon or Mars, where impacts have ejected material into space.


What layer in the atmosphere has most meteoroids break up?

Usually the troposphere.


How do you spell meteoroids?

Meteoroids, Meteors & Meteorites.


What makes meteoroids meteoroids?

They are shooting stars


Why does meteoroids strike mercury but not earth?

Meteoroids are more likely to strike Mercury because its proximity to the sun results in a denser population of meteoroids in its vicinity. Additionally, Mercury's lack of a substantial atmosphere means there is no protective layer to burn up meteoroids before they reach the surface. Earth's atmosphere, on the other hand, acts as a shield, causing most meteoroids to burn up before they reach the surface.


What 2 ways craters were formed on the moon?

Craters on the moon were formed primarily through two processes: impact from meteoroids and volcanic activity. Impact craters were created when meteoroids collided with the moon's surface, causing large depressions. Volcanic craters, on the other hand, formed when volcanic activity released magma and gases, creating bowl-shaped depressions.


What prevents most small meteoroids from hitting Earth's surface?

the o zone