Final answer:
Cosmic rays carry energy to Earth at a rate comparable to that of starlight, not sunlight, moonlight, or meteoroids. They are composed mainly of high-speed protons, helium nuclei, and electrons, including both negatively and positively charged particles (positrons).
Step-by-step explanation:
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles that originate primarily from outside the solar system, with some also coming from the Sun.
These rays reach Earth's atmosphere with significant energy, but the energy they carry is only about one-billionth of the energy we receive from the Sun.
However, the energy of cosmic rays is comparable to that of starlight. They consist mostly of high-speed atomic nuclei, such as protons and helium nuclei, as well as electrons and positrons.
Despite the shielding effect of Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere, which includes the ozone layer, a considerable number of cosmic rays manage to reach the Earth's surface.