Descriptive Astronomy 101
Asteroids and Meteorites Study Guide


After the "Asteroids and Meteorites" lecture and readings you should be able to answer and discuss the following questions.

Define the following terms:
Asteroid:
Meteoroid:
Meteor:
Meteorite:
Micrometeorite:
Fall:
Find:

How were asteroids and meteoroids formed?

Where did they form?

If all of the known asteroids were gathered together, how large a planetesimal would it form?

Why do we find so few asteroids inside of the orbit of Mars? What happened to them?

Where are most asteroids found today?

What are Trojan Asteroids?

What are Amor Asteroids?

What are Apollo Asteroids?

What are Aten Asteroids?

What is the basis of asteroid classification?

What is the compositional difference between S-type, M-type and C-type asteroids?

What is meant by the term primitive asteroids?

How were processed asteroids formed?

What are the three classes of meteorites? Which one is the most common meteorite finds?

What are chondrules?

What are chondrites?

What are achondrites?

How did pallasites form?

Where did iron meteorites form?

What is a Widmanstatten Pattern?

What are tektites and how are they formed?