What is the Difference Between Meteor and Meteorite?

The main difference between a meteor and a meteorite lies in their location and what happens to them when they enter Earth's atmosphere:

• Meteoroids: These are small, rocky objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. They are the original objects that exist in the solar system.
• Meteors: When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed and burn up, they create a bright streak of light in the sky, also known as "shooting stars". Meteors are the result of meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere and burning up due to friction with the air molecules.
• Meteorites: When a meteoroid survives its trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it becomes a meteorite. Meteorites are the pieces of rock or debris that have survived their journey through the atmosphere and landed on Earth.

In summary, meteoroids are the objects in space, meteors are the streaks of light we see when meteoroids burn up in the atmosphere, and meteorites are the parts of meteoroids that reach the ground.

Comparative Table: Meteor vs Meteorite

Here is a table that highlights the differences between meteors and meteorites:

In summary, meteors are the streaks of light seen in the sky when small pieces of cometary or asteroidal material enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up, while meteorites are the solid objects that survive their journey through the atmosphere and land on the Earth's surface.