Meteor

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/meteor

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How high is Meteor?76–100 kilometers (47–62 miles)
2. What is the scientific name?Meteor (phenomenon), Meteoroid (object in space)
3. What is the primary heating mechanism?Atmospheric ram pressure leading to incandescence

Meteoroid: A small natural object in outer space, typically a fragment of an asteroid or comet.
Meteor: The visible streak of light produced when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up due to atmospheric friction and compression.
Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and lands on the surface of a planet or moon.
Incandescence: The emission of light by a substance that has been heated to a high temperature.