Asteroids/Meteors/Comets/Planets Flashcard

Front

What are comets?

Back

Objects made of frozen gases and rock that have highly elliptical orbits around the sun.

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What are meteors?

Back

Objects that enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up, often referred to as 'shooting stars'.

Front

Where do asteroids primarily orbit in our solar system?

Back

In the area between Mars and Jupiter.

Front

What happens to a comet as it gets near the sun?

Back

It may begin to melt due to the heat.

Front

What is a meteorite?

Back

A meteoroid that hits Earth's surface.

Front

What are asteroids?

Back

Rocky objects that orbit the sun, primarily found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Front

What is the difference between a meteoroid and a meteor?

Back

A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space, while a meteor is the flash of light produced when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere.

Front

What is the main composition of comets?

Back

Comets are primarily composed of ice, dust, and rocky material.

Front

What is the significance of the tail of a comet?

Back

The tail of a comet forms when it gets close to the sun, as solar radiation and solar wind push gas and dust away from the comet's nucleus.

Front

What are dwarf planets?

Back

Celestial bodies that orbit the sun and are similar to planets but do not clear their orbital path.