CHAPTER 13 METEOROID, ASTEROID, COMET

CHAPTER 13
METEOROID,
ASTEROID,

COMET

11/7/2020 PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

13.1 OTHER OBJECTS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM SUCH AS METEROIDS,
ASTEROIDS AND COMETS

METEOROID

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• Are small pieces of stones and metals

that float and move in space
• Ranges in sizes that is from 10µm to 1m
• Originates from fragments of asteroids

and comets
• Surface Temperature = 0°C
• Moves at varying speeds

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ASTEROID PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

Characteristics:

• Big rocks and metals that move around the sun in
their own orbits

• Size varies from 1 m to 1000km
• Made up of stones and metals such as iron and

nickel
• Temperature : -73°C
• Travels around the sun at an averages speed of

25kms-1
• Originates from the asteroid belt which is located

between Mars and Jupiter
• This asteroid is known as planetoid (small planet)

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COMET PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

Characteristics:

• A small body made up of a mixture of ice, gas and
dust and circles the sun in its own orbit

• Has two parts, the head and the tail
• The tail of the comet can reach the length of

150000000 km whereas its head can reach
250000km
• Made up of gas and water that freeze into ice, dust
and rocks
• Moves around the sun in its own elliptical orbit
• Its average speed ranges from 10kms-1 to 70kms-1

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MOVEMENT OF METEOROIDS

• Small fragments of stones and metals that
floats in space and travel around the sun

• When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s
atmosphere, it is known as a meteor

• Friction between the air molecules and the
meteor produces heat until it burns and form
a streak of light

• When a lot of meteors enter the Earth at the
same time, this results in meteor showers

• However, there are meteors that reach the
Earth called meteorites.

• When a meteorites hits the Earth, it forms
crater

11/7/2020 PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

MOVEMENT OF ASTEROIDS

• Is larger than a meteoroid
• The asteroid moves at an average speed of 25kms-1

and is within the asteroid belt.
• Examples of asteroids outside the asteroid belt :

Apollo, Amor and Aten
• A collision between the Earth’s orbit and the

asteroid’s orbit can happen at the intersection point or

on the paths close to the Earth’s orbit and the

asteroid’s orbit
• A collision between a huge asteroid and the Earth can

cause destruction to the living things on the Earth

11/7/2020 PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

MOVEMENT OF COMETS

• Most of the comets originate from the Kuiper and

Oort cloud and move at a speed of 10 to 70kms-1

• When the comet gets closer to the sun, the speed of

comet increases, the ice on the head of the comet

turns into gas and forms the long tail

• The tail of the comet would always be further from

the Sun because of the blowing solar winds

• Comets easily slip out of their orbits due to the strong

gravitational pull from outside planets

• The comets that slip out are at the risk of colliding

with the Earth at high speed

11/7/2020 PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

11/7/2020 Blowing solar winds to the comet

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11/7/2020 PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)

PROTECTING THE EARTH FROM BEING HIT BY

ASTEROIDS

Asteroids and meteoroids that are in the outer space are not a threat to the Earth
If the situation arises where the asteroid collides with the Earth, it would cause

grave destruction to the living things as well as to the Earth itself
Therefore, scientists are always observing and monitoring the movement of

asteroids in the space to ensure that these bodies remain a safe distance from the
Earth
Initial warning will be issued if there is a threat from an asteroid
Any danger that is expected to strike can be detected earlier
Any asteroids that come close to the Earth might be destroyed or its movement
might be diverted

11/7/2020 PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA (MRSM TRANSKRIAN)