We’ve all heard of the circle of life here on earth, but have you ever wondered further afield? Did you know there are different names for different stages of a space rock’s journey? Let’s dig a little deeper…
What is a meteoroid?
A meteoroid is a small-ish space rock that floats around in space, just outside of our atmosphere. It can be up to a meter wide (any bigger we usually call an asteroid). To be called a meteoroid, it must be IN SPACE.
What is a meteor?
Meteors are what we see when a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed. The rock burns up on entry, emitting streaks of light that we see as shooting stars. It’s like nature’s version of a firework display! To be called a meteor, it must be IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
What is a meteorite?
A meteorite is whatever is left of the meteor when it lands on Earth. Not all meteors make it to Earth, especially if they are small and fragile. The bigger and sturdier a meteoroid is, the more likely it is to survive the meteor phase and become a meteorite. To be a meteorite, it must be ON EARTH.
What’s in a meteorite?
Meteorites contain all sorts of elements. Most meteorites are ‘stony’, made up of minerals like silicates (combination of silicon and oxygen), calcium and aluminium. There are also meteorites known as stony-iron, or iron meteorites. Meteorites generally contain iron, in the form of iron-nickel alloys (a mixture of metals).
Where’s the materials science?
Since meteorites are rocks containing metal elements, it is possible to ‘harvest’ these metals for use in materials science. Scientists can examine and explore these materials to learn more about their structure, what they’re made of and how we can use them.
It has been discovered that the structure of iron-nickel in a meteorite gives it special magnetic properties. Materials scientists are trying to replicate this structure on Earth so that they can create new, iron-nickel based magnets for use in electronic applications. Iron and nickel are a lot more available on Earth, compared to the elements currently used in this application, so this could be a sustainable solution for the future.
So next time you’re looking up at the night sky, have a think about what it is you’re seeing, and what it could be made of!
Share this post
