Final answer:
An achondrite meteorite is a type of stony meteorite with no chondrules or volatiles, implying it comes from a parent body that experienced significant heating and differentiation. These meteorites offer important clues about the early solar system and the processes on their parent asteroids.
Step-by-step explanation:
An achondrite meteorite is a stony meteorite that contains no chondrules and no volatiles.
Meteorites are fragments from space, primarily from asteroids, that reach the Earth's surface. They are classified broadly into three categories: iron, stony, and stony-iron meteorites. Each of these types offers insight into the formation and composition of their parent bodies, be they differentiated or primitive.
Achondrites belong to the stony meteorites classification and are differentiated, meaning they are from larger bodies that underwent heating and separation of materials by density. These meteorites are important because unlike their counterparts that contain chondrules (small spherical inclusions), achondrites do not, indicating they have undergone processes such as melting and recrystallization. This absence of chondrules and formation through significant heat or pressure, alongside a lack of volatiles, provides valuable scientific data regarding the early solar system and differentiation processes of their parent asteroids.