Meteorites are fragments of material from other celestial bodies, mainly comets, asteroids and comets. When these objects collide with Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up and partially melt. The fragments left behind after falling to Earth are called meteorites.
Meteorite can be classified into three main types based on their composition:
Stone meteorites: This is the most common type of
meteorite, accounting for about 95% of all meteorites.
Stony meteorites are formed from compounds of iron,
nickel and silicates.
Iron meteorites: This type of meteorite accounts for
about 4% of all meteorites. Iron meteorites are formed
from compounds of iron and nickel.
Stony-iron meteorites: This type of meteorite accounts
for about 1% of all meteorites. Stony-iron meteorites
are formed from the fusion of stony meteorites and iron
meteorites.
Meteorite can come in a variety of colors, including
black, gray, white, green, red, and yellow. They can
also come in a variety of shapes, including spherical,
oval, cylindrical, and irregular shapes.
Meteorite is a rare and highly valuable gemstone. They are often used as jewelry and decoration.
Here are some common types of meteorite:
Chondrite: This is the most common type of stony
meteorite. Chondrite is formed from small grains, called
chondrites.
Achondrite: This type of stony meteorite does not
contain chondrite. Achondrite is formed from debris from
other celestial bodies, such as Mars.
Iron meteorite: This type of meteorite is black or gray
and has high hardness. Iron meteorite is often used to
make jewelry.
Stony-iron meteorite: This type of meteorite is gray or
black and has medium hardness. Stony-iron meteorite is
often used to make decorations.
To distinguish meteorite from regular rocks, one can
rely on the following characteristics:
Meteorite usually has higher hardness than regular
stone.
Meteorite can be magnetic, while regular stones are
not.
Meteorite may have small pores, called regmaglypts, on
the surface.
Meteorite can have small grains, called chondrites,
inside.
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