Tobias, Mark Denzel - Bsed 2b Science - Module 7 - Activity 4

Name: TOBIAS, MARK DENZEL B.
Course and Year: BSED 2B SCIENCE
MODULE 7
ACTIVITY 4
Answer the following question briefly,
Summarize relations between the bodies and particles responsible for
A. Meteors
The term meteor comes from the Greek meteoron, meaning phenomenon in
the sky. It is used to describe the streak of light produced as matter in the Solar
System falls into Earth's atmosphere creating temporary incandescence resulting
from atmospheric friction.
A meteoroid is matter revolving around the sun or any object in

interplanetary space that is too small to be called an asteroid or a comet. Even
smaller particles are called micrometeoroids or cosmic dust grains, which
includes any interstellar material that should happen to enter our solar system.
A meteorite is a meteoroid that reaches the surface of the Earth without being
completely vaporized.
When a meteor enters the atmosphere friction causes ablation of its surface
(i.e. it burns up). If the meteor is small (fist-sized) it vaporizes before hitting the
ground. If larger it survives to impact on the ground, although it will be reduced
in size during entry into the atmosphere.
About 25 million meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere every day (duck!).
Most burn up and about 1 million kilograms of dust per day settles to the Earth’s
surface.
Meteorites have proven difficult to classify, but the three broadest groupings
are: Chondrites, Pallasites and Irons.
Conclusion: They form from collisions

B. Comets
Comets are small, fragile, irregularly shaped bodies composed of a mixture

of non-volatile grains and frozen gases. They usually follow highly elongated paths
around the Sun. Most become visible, even in telescopes, only when they get near
enough to the Sun for the Sun’s radiation to start subliming the volatile gases,
which in turn blow away small bits of the solid material. These materials expand
into an enormous escaping atmosphere called the coma, which becomes far bigger
than a planet, and they are forced back into long tails of dust and gas by radiation
and charged particles flowing from the Sun. Comets are cold bodies, and we see
them only because the gases in their comae and tails fluoresce in sunlight
(somewhat akin to a fluorescent light) and because of sunlight reflected from the
solids. Comets are regular members of the solar system family, gravitationally
bound to the Sun. They are generally believed to be made of material, originally
in the outer part of the solar system, that didn’t get incorporated into the planets
– leftover debris, if you will. It is the very fact that they are thought to be composed
of such unchanged primitive material that makes them extremely interesting to
scientists who wish to learn about conditions during the earliest period of the
solar system.
Conclusion: They make the collisions
C. The zodiacal light
The zodiacal light (also called false dawn when seen before sunrise) is a
faint, diffuse, and roughly triangular white glow that is visible in the night sky
and appears to extend from the Sun’s direction and along the zodiac, straddling
the ecliptic, which is the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Sunlight scattered
by interplanetary dust causes this phenomenon.
Zodiacal light is best seen during twilight after sunset in spring and before
sunrise in autumn, when the zodiac is at a steep angle to the horizon. However,
the glow is so faint that moonlight and/or light pollution outshine it, rendering it
invisible.
Conclusion: “is a faint, diffuse, and roughly triangular white glow
visible in the night sky that appears to extend from the vicinity
of the Sun along the ecliptic”
D. Asteroids
Asteroids are leftovers from planetary formation. Many of them reside in the
asteroid belt that lies between the inner and outer planets. Though thousands of
asteroids reside in the main belt, this region is not densely populated – all of the
asteroids together only make about 5% the mass of the Moon.
Asteroids come in many sizes and shapes. They range in width from 620
miles (1000 kilometers) down to dozens of meters. Most asteroids are irregularly
shaped and all have craters from impacts with other asteroids. However, the
largest asteroid, Ceres, has sufficient gravity to become nearly spherical, so it is
also classified as a dwarf planet! Vesta, another large asteroid, has evidence of
ancient lava flows on its surface.
Asteroids are classified by their composition. Most of the known asteroids

(over 75%) are C-type (carbon-rich) asteroids, located in the outer region of the
main asteroid belt. These asteroids are usually composed of organic compounds
and hydrated minerals. Silicon-rich (S-type) asteroids dominate the inner part of
the asteroid belt, closest to the Sun. These asteroids are composed of rocky
materials and small amounts of metallic iron. M-type (metallic) asteroids are
predominantly metallic iron and nickel.
Conclusion: orbit the Sun and sometimes orbit within the

asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter)
E. Meteorites
Meteorites are space rocks that fall to Earth's surface. A meteorite is a
fragment of spatial matter that falls to the surface of a planet. Most meteorites
that fall to Earth come from the Asteroid Belt. Watch as a meteorite travels to
Earth, causes an explosion, and creates an impact crater.
Conclusion: the parts of meteors that were an after effect of the

meteor’s disintegration, and were able to fall through the Earth’s
atmosphere and hit the Earth.
F. What is the typical size or range in size of

each type of object?
a. Meteors- They include any space debris bigger than a molecule and
smaller than about 330 feet (100 meters) – space debris bigger than
this is considered an asteroid.
b. Comets- are very small in size relative to planets. Their average

diameters usually range from 750 meters (2,460 feet) or less to about
20 kilometers (12 miles).
c. The zodiacal light- The light looks like a hazy pyramid. It appears in
the sky just before true dawn lights the sky. It’s comparable in
brightness to the Milky Way, but even milkier in appearance. Unlike
true dawn or dusk, there’s no rosy color to the zodiacal light.
d. Asteroids- The interplanetary dust in the Solar System collectively

forms a thick, pancake-shaped cloud called the zodiacal cloud, which
straddles the ecliptic plane. The particle sizes range between 10 and
300 micrometres, implying masses from one nanogram to tens of
micrograms.
e. Meteorites- Typically less than 5 percent of the original object will
ever make it down to the ground. These meteorites, pieces of meteors
that are found, typically range between the size of a pebble and a fist.
Conclusion: Meteors are typically largest, followed by comets

and finished by asteroids and meteorites.

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Name: TOBIAS, MARK DENZEL B.

Course and Year: BSED 2B SCIENCE

A meteoroid is matter revolving around the sun or any object in

Conclusion: They form from collisions

Comets are small, fragile, irregularly shaped bodies composed of a mixture

Conclusion: They make the collisions

C. The zodiacal light

Asteroids are classified by their composition. Most of the known asteroids

Conclusion: orbit the Sun and sometimes orbit within the

Conclusion: the parts of meteors that were an after effect of the

F. What is the typical size or range in size of

b. Comets- are very small in size relative to planets. Their average

d. Asteroids- The interplanetary dust in the Solar System collectively

Conclusion: Meteors are typically largest, followed by comets

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