Final answer:
Meteors are small bits of dust or pieces of rock that can be seen when entering Earth's atmosphere. They burn up and produce a brief flash of light in the night sky, known as shooting stars. Sometimes, larger pieces of rock or metallic material survive and land on Earth, called meteorites.
Step-by-step explanation:
Meteors are small bits of dust or pieces of rock that move in space and can be seen when entering Earth's atmosphere. These grains of broken rock, also known as cosmic dust, are scattered throughout the solar system. When they enter Earth's atmosphere, they burn up, producing a brief flash of light in the night sky, often referred to as a shooting star or meteor. Sometimes, larger pieces of rock or metallic material survive their passage through the atmosphere and land on Earth, which are then called meteorites.