Question

Distinguish between a meteor, a meteoroid, and a meteorite.

Answer 1

Answer:

The distinction can be understood by their individual definitions given below.

Explanation:

A meteoroid is a small rocky/metallic body that can be found in outer space (space beyond the Earth's atmosphere). Their sizes are much smaller than asteroids (often called planetoids) and even more smaller than that of any planets or their moons. They generally originate from comets, asteroids (fragments of them) and even from planets or moons when there occurs heavy collisions.

A meteor is basically what we know to be "shooting stars". When a meteoroid, asteroid, etc. passes through the Earth's atmosphere, they heat up and begin to glow because of the frictional force experienced due to gas molecules in the atmosphere. But the important thing is that they do not reach the surface of the Earth as they completely burn out long before coming close. If some object does manage to reach the Earth's surface, we then call it a meteorite.

(These definitions are not restricted to the Earth but applies to all panets and moons.)

(Also check the gif provided here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid)