Question

A piece of stone or iron traveling through space that enters the Earth's atmosphere is called a

• A. Planet
• B. Sun
• C. Moon
• D. Meteor

Hint:

Remember the three stage naming, meteoroid in space, meteor while burning in the atmosphere, meteorite if it lands.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: A small piece of rock or metal moving through space is first called a meteoroid, before it reaches any planet's atmosphere.

Step 2: When this meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere at very high speed, friction with air molecules heats it up and makes it glow. This bright streak of light in the sky is called a meteor, commonly known as a shooting star.

Step 3: If any part of it survives the journey and lands on the ground, that surviving piece is called a meteorite. The question describes the object entering the atmosphere, which matches the term meteor.

Step 4: A planet is a large body that orbits the Sun and has cleared its orbital path, which is nothing like a small stone or iron piece. The Sun is a star, and the Moon is a natural satellite of Earth, both are completely different from a small space rock.

Step 5: So the correct term, and the correct answer, is meteor.