1. Introduction to Meteorites
• Meteorites are solid pieces of debris from
objects such as asteroids or comets that
originate in outer space and survive their
passage through the atmosphere to reach the
surface of a planet or moon.
2. Meteor vs Meteoroid vs Meteorite
• • Meteoroid: A small rock or particle of debris
in our solar system.
• • Meteor: The light phenomenon that occurs
when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere.
• • Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its
journey through the atmosphere and lands on
Earth.
3. Classification of Meteorites
• 1. Stony Meteorites: Made mostly of silicate
minerals.
• 2. Iron Meteorites: Composed primarily of iron
and nickel.
• 3. Stony-Iron Meteorites: Mixture of silicate
rock and metal.
4. Details of Meteorite Types
• • Stony: Most common, look like Earth rocks.
• • Iron: Heavy, metallic, from the core of
asteroids.
• • Stony-Iron: Rare, mix of rock and metal, very
beautiful.
5. Importance of Meteorites
• • Provide clues about the early solar system.
• • Help scientists understand planetary
formation.
• • Contain rare elements not commonly found
on Earth.
