Meteoroid (Noun)
Meaning
(astronomy) any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made).
Examples
- A meteoroid is a small particle from space that enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up, producing a meteor or shooting star.
- The meteoroid was traveling at a speed of over 40,000 miles per hour when it entered the Earth's atmosphere.
- Scientists study meteoroids to learn more about the composition and origin of the solar system.
- Most meteoroids burn up completely in the atmosphere and do not make it to the Earth's surface.
- The meteoroid that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013 was estimated to be about 20 meters in diameter.