Comets, Asteroids & Meteoroids Quiz: Space Rocks!

Comets are made primarily of ice, which is composed of frozen gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia, along with water ice. These gases and water ice are mixed with dust particles, creating a dusty and icy composition. This combination of frozen gases, water, and dust gives comets their characteristic appearance when they approach the Sun and start to vaporize, creating a glowing coma and a tail.

The asteroid belt is an area located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This region is known for containing a large number of asteroids. These asteroids are rocky objects that vary in size, ranging from small boulders to dwarf planets. The gravitational forces from Mars and Jupiter have prevented these asteroids from coalescing into a single planet, resulting in the formation of the asteroid belt.

Asteroids are large rock-like chunks with some metals that orbit the sun. They are remnants from the early formation of our solar system, often referred to as "space rocks." They are smaller than planets and do not have a regular shape like a small planet would. These celestial bodies can vary in size, with some being as small as a few meters and others reaching several hundred kilometers in diameter. They are mainly found in the asteroid belt, a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, but can also be found in other areas of the solar system.

Halley's comet is often considered the most famous comet because it is the most well-known and widely observed comet in human history. It is named after the English astronomer Edmond Halley, who calculated its orbit and predicted its return. Halley's comet has a highly elliptical orbit, and it returns to the inner solar system approximately every 76 years. Its last appearance was in 1986, and it is expected to be visible again in 2061. The comet's regular and predictable returns, combined with its brightness and visibility, have made it a popular and iconic celestial event.

Comets are composed of three main parts: the nucleus, coma, and tail. The nucleus is the solid core of the comet, consisting of ice, dust, and rocky materials. As a comet approaches the Sun, the heat causes the nucleus to vaporize and release gas and dust, creating a glowing cloud called the coma. The coma surrounds the nucleus and can be quite large. The tail of a comet is formed as the solar wind pushes the gas and dust away from the coma in a direction opposite to the Sun. This creates a glowing trail that can extend for millions of kilometers.

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Meteoroids are small rocky or metallic objects in space that are smaller than asteroids. They are typically composed of a combination of metal and stone, hence the term "chunks of metallic stony matter." These meteoroids can vary in size and can be found in various regions of the solar system. When they enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up, they are known as meteors.

The term "coma" refers to the cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the nucleus of a comet. It is formed when the heat from the Sun causes the icy nucleus to vaporize and release gas and dust particles. The coma is usually spherical in shape and can extend for thousands of kilometers. It is one of the most visible features of a comet and gives it a fuzzy appearance.

The diagram of the comet is missing a label for the central core or center of the comet, which is called the nucleus. The nucleus is the solid, icy body at the center of the comet that contains most of its mass. It is made up of a mixture of water ice, frozen gases, dust, and rocky material. The nucleus is the source of the comet's coma and tail when it gets close to the Sun and begins to heat up, causing the ice to vaporize and release gas and dust particles.

Meteors heat up and produce a bright streak of light as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere due to air friction and air compression.

When a meteoroid (a small particle from a comet or asteroid) enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it encounters a tremendous amount of resistance or friction from the air. This friction causes the meteoroid to heat up, and it starts to glow, creating the bright streak we see as a meteor.

In addition to friction, the air in front of the meteoroid gets compressed. When a gas is compressed, its temperature rises. This compression of air also contributes to the heating of the meteoroid.

So, both air friction and air compression play significant roles in heating meteors as they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere.