Asteroids, Comets, Meteors & Meteoroids

Question 1

Asteroids

Answer 1

Small rocky objects that orbit the Sun, primarily found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 2

Composition of Asteroids

Answer 2

Made mostly of rock and metal, not ice like comets.

Question 3

Size of Asteroids

Answer 3

Vary in size from small pebbles to objects hundreds of kilometers wide.

Question 4

Location of Asteroids

Answer 4

Most asteroids are found in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. Some are found in other areas of the solar system, including near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Question 5

Types of Asteroids

Answer 5

C-type (carbon-rich), S-type (silicaceous), M-type (metallic).

Question 6

Impact of Asteroids on Earth

Answer 6

While rare, asteroids have the potential to collide with Earth, which could cause significant damage.

Question 7

Comets

Answer 7

Small icy bodies that orbit the Sun, often forming a bright tail when they come close to the Sun.

Question 8

Composition of Comets

Answer 8

Made of dust, rock, and ice (frozen gases like water, carbon dioxide, and methane).

Question 9

Nucleus of a Comet

Answer 9

The solid, icy core of a comet.

Question 10

Coma of a Comet

Answer 10

A cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus when the comet is near the Sun.

Question 11

Tail of a Comet

Answer 11

A glowing stream of gas and dust that points away from the Sun, caused by the Sun’s radiation and solar wind.

Question 12

Orbit of Comets

Answer 12

Typically have highly elliptical orbits, which bring them close to the Sun and then take them far out into the solar system.

Question 13

Types of Comets

Answer 13

Short-period comets: Take less than 200 years to orbit the Sun. Long-period comets: Take more than 200 years to complete an orbit.

Question 14

Meteors

Answer 14

A meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up, creating a streak of light (a ‘shooting star’).

Question 15

Cause of Light in Meteors

Answer 15

Friction with Earth’s atmosphere heats the meteoroid, causing it to glow brightly.

Question 16

Event Duration of Meteors

Answer 16

Typically lasts for a few seconds as it travels through the atmosphere.

Question 17

Meteor Showers

Answer 17

Occur when Earth passes through a comet’s debris trail, producing multiple meteors.

Question 18

Meteoroids

Answer 18

Small rocky or metallic objects in space, smaller than asteroids.

Question 19

Size of Meteoroids

Answer 19

Ranges from tiny grains of dust to about 1 meter in diameter.

Question 20

Location of Meteoroids

Answer 20

Found orbiting the Sun in space.

Question 21

Source of Meteoroids

Answer 21

Often fragments of asteroids or comets.