Quiz: Asteroids Vs Meteoroids Vs Comets!

Explanation
Meteoroids can originate from both comets and asteroids. Comets are made up of ice, dust, and rocky material, and when they come close to the Sun, the heat causes them to release gas and dust, creating a glowing coma and tail. Asteroids, on the other hand, are rocky and metallic objects that orbit the Sun. When a comet or asteroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it becomes a meteoroid. Therefore, the correct answer is "All of the above" as both comets and asteroids can be the origin of a meteoroid.

Explanation
A shooting star comes from a meteoroid. A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic object that is in space and orbits the sun. When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up, it creates a streak of light in the sky known as a shooting star or a meteor.

Explanation
Asteroids are closer to the Sun compared to comets, meteors, and meteorites. Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, primarily located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Comets, on the other hand, are icy bodies that originate from the outer regions of the solar system and have highly elliptical orbits that can take them much farther from the Sun. Meteors are small particles that burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, while meteorites are the remnants of meteors that survive the journey through the atmosphere and land on the Earth's surface.

Explanation
A meteor vaporizes before it hits the earth, unlike a meteorite. This means that a meteor is a bright streak of light that is seen when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up due to friction. On the other hand, a meteorite is a meteoroid that survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere and lands on the Earth's surface. So, the key difference between the two is that a meteor vaporizes in the atmosphere, while a meteorite reaches the Earth's surface.

Explanation
Debris comes from comets. Comets are celestial bodies composed of ice, dust, and rock that orbit the sun in highly elliptical paths. As a comet approaches the sun, the heat causes the ice to vaporize, releasing gas and dust particles. These particles, along with any rocks or other solid materials, create a trail of debris behind the comet. This debris can sometimes enter Earth's atmosphere, resulting in meteor showers.

Explanation
Asteroid is the correct answer because it is the largest among the given options. While meteors, meteoroids, and comets are all celestial objects, an asteroid is typically larger in size compared to the others. Asteroids are rocky and metallic objects that orbit the sun, and some can be several hundred kilometers in diameter. In contrast, meteors are smaller objects that burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, meteoroids are even smaller fragments of asteroids or comets, and comets are icy bodies that release gas and dust when they come close to the sun.

Explanation
A meteorite is the smallest among the given options. A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic object that is in space, typically smaller than an asteroid. When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up, it is called a meteor. If a meteor survives its passage through the atmosphere and lands on Earth's surface, it is then called a meteorite. Comets and asteroids are larger objects compared to meteorites and meteoroids.

Explanation
There are believed to be 794,717 asteroids in existence.

Explanation
There are believed to be 4,120 comets in existence.

Explanation
Meteorites are less likely to cause harm in the event of them landing on Earth compared to asteroids and comets. This is because meteorites are smaller fragments that have already survived the intense heat and pressure of entering Earth's atmosphere. They have also lost most of their volatile substances during this process. On the other hand, asteroids and comets are larger objects that can cause significant damage upon impact due to their size and composition.