Here are the answers to the questions on the worksheet.
Review and Reinforce
Table: Comets, Asteroids, and Meteors
| Object | Description | Location/Movement |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
|
Asteroid | A rocky object that orbits the sun. They are smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids. | Mostly found in the
asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. |
|
Comet | An object made of ice, dust, and rock. It has a glowing tail when it gets close to the sun. | Orbits the sun in long, narrow (elliptical) paths. Often comes from the outer solar system. |
|
Meteoroid | A small chunk of rock or metal traveling through space. Smaller than an asteroid. | Travels through space until it enters a planet's atmosphere. |
|
Meteor | The streak of light seen when a meteoroid burns up in Earth's atmosphere (a "shooting star"). | Happens in Earth's
atmosphere. |
|
Meteorite | A meteoroid that survives burning up in the atmosphere and hits the ground. | Found on the
surface of Earth (or another planet). |
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Answer the following questions:
1.
Explain what happens to a meteoroid in order for it to become a meteorite.
A meteoroid becomes a meteorite if it is large enough to survive passing through Earth's atmosphere without completely burning up and lands on the surface.
2.
Describe these parts of a comet: head, coma, tail.
*
Head: The solid center of the comet, made of ice and rock (also called the nucleus).
*
Coma: The fuzzy cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the head when the comet warms up near the sun.
*
Tail: The stream of gas and dust that trails behind the comet, pointing away from the sun.
3.
How can you tell a meteor from a comet?
You can tell them apart by how they look and move. A
comet looks like a fuzzy spot with a long tail and moves slowly across the sky over several nights. A
meteor looks like a quick flash or streak of light ("shooting star") that appears and disappears in just a second or two.
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Building Vocabulary
4. When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, friction causes it to burn up and produce a streak of light called a(n)
meteor.
5. A chunk of ice and dust whose orbit is usually a long narrow ellipse is a(n)
comet.
6. If a meteoroid hits Earth’s surface, it is called a(n)
meteorite.
7. An object that revolves around the sun but is too small to be considered a planet, is a(n)
asteroid.
8. A chunk of rock or dust in space that usually comes from a comet or an asteroid is called a(n)
meteoroid.
9. The region of the solar system between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter is known as the
asteroid belt.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of comet asteroid meteor worksheet answers.
