Final answer:
Larger asteroids cause more destruction due to their greater mass and higher kinetic energy, with the largest known asteroid being Ceres.
Step-by-step explanation:
The size of an asteroid is directly correlated to the amount of damage it can cause if it impacts Earth. Specifically, larger asteroids can cause more destruction due to their greater mass and the higher kinetic energy they have upon entering the Earth's atmosphere and colliding with the surface. The largest asteroid known, Ceres, is categorized as a dwarf planet and has a diameter just less than 1000 kilometers. Other significant asteroids like Pallas and Vesta are each about 500 kilometers in diameter. An asteroid's potential to cause damage also depends on other factors such as its speed, composition, and the angle of entry into Earth's atmosphere. However, the primary contributing factor to the extent of damage is indeed the size of the asteroid. When an asteroid impacts, it can lead to catastrophic events including tsunamis, fires, and an impact winter caused by debris thrown into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight.