Question

Chunks of rock and metal from planetary bodies that survive their journey through the atmosphere and fall to the ground are called meteorites and scientists have found over 50,000 on Earth's surface. What is the origin of the majority these meteorites?

A. They are pieces of a planet that have broken off.
B. They are the original materials from which the planets formed.
C. They are bits of our moon that have eroded and fell back to Earth.
D. They are jarred loose from a meteor belt found among the outer planets.

Answer 1

The majority of meteorites are fragments from asteroids and are primitive objects that date back to the formation of the solar system. Some may also originate from impacts on planets like Mars or our Moon.

Step-by-step explanation:

The majority of meteorites originate from the debris of space, mostly fragments of asteroids, and to a lesser extent, from impacts on Mars or our Moon. Meteorites represent primitive objects that are dated back to the origin of the solar system around 4.5 billion years ago and are considered remnants of the solar nebula from which the solar system formed. These remnants, which include asteroid fragments and possibly pieces from planetary impacts, have managed to survive the fiery journey through Earth's atmosphere and reach our planet's surface.

Answer 2

It should be D. They are jarred loose from a meteor belt found among the outer planets.

Step-by-step explanation:

Meteors are often space trash from spacecraft and satellites that have broken off. They could also be pieces of planets that have floated into the meteor belt with the space trash, it then falls to the ground as a meteorite.