Final answer:
The paragraph primarily aims to identify and describe the three types of meteorites: irons, stones, and stony-irons, which correlate with different layers of planet formation, namely the core, crust and mantle, and the core-mantle transition zone.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main function of the paragraph is to identify the three kinds of meteorites and provide information about each kind. Meteorites are classified into three broad classes: irons, which are mainly composed of metallic nickel-iron and are thought to come from the core of differentiated parent bodies; stones, general silicate or rocky meteorites that often represent primitive objects or mantle material; and stony-irons, rarer meteorites that consist of mixtures of stone and metallic iron indicating a probable origin from transitional regions between a metal core and a stony mantle.
This classification demonstrates their association with different parts of planet formation with irons resembling planetary cores, stones resembling planetary crust and mantle, and stony-irons representing the transitional area between core and mantle. Additionally, the aesthetic aspect of stony-irons is mentioned, where they are sometimes cut into slices and illuminated for display purposes, though this is not the main focus of the paragraph.