The Composition of Meteors
Meteors are tiny solid particles that enter Earth’s atmosphere from interplanetary space. Since the particles move at speeds of many kilometers per second, friction with the air vaporizes them at altitudes between 80 and 130 kilometers. The resulting flashes of light fade out within a few seconds. These“shooting stars” got their name because at night their luminous vapors look like stars moving rapidly across the sky. Some meteorites do end up landing on Earth’s surface. It was not until the time when
meteorites were measured and their compositions analyzed in detail that scientists appreciated their true significance. The meteorites include the oldest and most primitive materials available for direct study in the laboratory.
