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Questions and Answers
What is a leading theory behind how the Asteroid Belt formed in our Solar System?
Where can many asteroids be found in our Solar System?
Why is it unlikely for humans to visit the Asteroid Belt anytime soon?
What usually happens to asteroids on a collision course with Earth?
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Which statement is true about asteroids?
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Study Notes
Asteroids and Their Characteristics
- Asteroids are small, rocky or metallic objects in space, larger than 10 meters in diameter.
- Differentiated from meteoroids, which are smaller chunks of rock or metal that can be indistinguishable from earthly rocks.
- Comets are icy bodies that revolve around stars and differ from asteroids due to their ice composition.
- Asteroids generally do not inhabit areas near large planets due to gravitational attraction, which can pull smaller objects into the planet’s atmosphere.
- Historical significance includes the extinction of the dinosaurs approximately 65 million years ago, attributed to a massive asteroid impact.
Formation of Asteroids
- Asteroids form over extended periods as dust particles in space coalesce and stick together.
- The process of formation accelerates as the object gains mass since larger bodies possess greater gravitational pull, attracting more dust.
- Once the mass exceeds 10 meters, the object is classified as an asteroid.
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Description
Learn about asteroids, small rocky objects in space that revolve around the Sun. Discover how asteroids are different from stars, planets, and comets, as well as their composition and characteristics.
