Chapter_13_Meteroid_Asteroid_Comet_Answer

Other Object in the Solar System (Pg. 270-271, Figure 13.1)

Read SCIENCE BLOG (Pg. 269)
1. What are the other objects that present in our solar system ?
(i) Meteoroid (ii) Asteroid (iii) Comet

(i) Meteoroid
A meteoroid is a floating piece of stone and metal that moves in space.
Characteristics
 Made up of stones and metals such as iron and nickel.
 Originates from fragments of asteroids and comets.
 Appears in various size (from 10µm to 1 m).
 Its surface temperature in outer space is about 0oC.
 Travels at varying speed. The fastest meteoroid travels at 42kms-1.

(ii) Asteroid
An asteroid is a large metal and rocky body that travels around the Sun in its own
orbit.
Characteristics
 Made up of stones and metals such as iron and nickel.
 Also known as small planets.
 Size starts from 1 m to 1000 km.
 Large asteroid such as Ceres, Pallas, Juno and Vesta have diameters of a few
kilometer to 1000 kilometer.
 Has a cold surface temperature about -73oC.
 Travels around the Sun at an average speed of 25 kms-1.
 Asteroids form an asteroid belt between orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

(ii) Comet
A comet is a small body made out of a mixture of ice, gas and frozen dust.
It travels around the Sun in its own orbit.
Characteristics
 Consists of two main parts, a head and a tail.
 Made up of
Gas
water that freeze into ice,
dust
rocky particles.
 The length of the tail can reach up to 150 000 000 km.
 The size of the head can reach up to 250 000 km.
 Travels around the Sun in its own elliptical orbit.
 Travels at average speed range of 10 kms-1 to 70 kms-1.
Movement of Meteoroids, Asteroids and Comets
Asteroids and comets
 move through their own orbit.
Meteoroids
 move freely in the space
 movements are easily influenced by the gravitational pull of planets, the moon
and other objects around it due to their smaller size and mass.

How do movement of meteoroid affect the Earth ?

(Pg. 272, copy Figure 13.2)

How do movement of asteroid affect the Earth ?

(Pg. 273, copy Figure 13.3)

How do movement of comet affect the Earth ?

(Pg. 274, copy Figure 13.4)

Protecting the Earth from Asteroid Impacts

1. Scientists always monitoring asteroid in space to ensure that the orbits of asteroid
are safe at a distance from the orbit of the Earth.

2. Warnings will be issued if there is a risk of an asteroid colliding with the Earth.

3. How to avoid the asteroids that comes close to the Earth ?

Destroy or deflect the direction of the asteroid.