Final answer:
The false statement is that a small rocky particle orbiting the Sun is called a plutoid, which is incorrect; it should be called a meteoroid. Plutoids are actually a class of dwarf planets beyond Neptune, not small rocky particles in space.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is false among the provided options is: d. A small rocky particle that is orbiting the Sun in space is called a plutoid. This statement is incorrect as a small rocky particle orbiting the Sun is typically referred to as a meteoroid. A plutoid is a term used to describe dwarf planets that orbit the Sun beyond Neptune, such as Pluto, and has nothing to do with small rocky particles.
A meteor is the flash of light (or the shooting star) that occurs when a small piece of space debris or a meteoroid burns up in the Earth's atmosphere. If any part of this meteoroid survives the passage through the atmosphere and lands on Earth, it is called a meteorite. Most meteorites come from the asteroid belt, though some may come from the Moon or Mars.
Meteors are often linked to comets because when comets approach the Sun, they leave trails of debris that can cause meteor showers on Earth. However, meteor showers should not be confused with meteorite showers, as meteorites are larger objects that have made it through the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, and no meteorites have been linked to the occurrence of meteor showers.