The Solar System - Word Search - PUZZLE #23 METEOROID - August 2025

PUZZLE #23 - METEOROID 

IN-CONTEXT WORD DEFINITIONS

Space rock: A space rock is a general term for a solid object from space, such as a meteoroid, asteroid, or meteorite. When referring to meteoroids, it describes small chunks of rock or metal that travel through space and may eventually enter Earth's atmosphere.

fragment: A meteoroid can be an asteroid fragment, meaning it broke off from a larger asteroid due to a collision or breakup. These fragments continue to orbit the Sun and sometimes intersect with Earth’s orbit.

Micrometeoroid: A micrometeoroid is an extremely small meteoroid, often less than a grain of sand. These are abundant in space and can damage spacecraft despite their tiny size due to their high speeds.

Interplanetary: This refers to tiny particles — including micrometeoroids — that float between planets. Interplanetary dust contributes to the zodiacal light and is part of the debris cloud left by asteroids and comets.

Ablation: Ablation is the process by which a meteoroid loses mass and burns up as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere. The friction causes the outer layers to vaporize, creating the bright glow of a meteor.

Solid: refers to the physical state of the meteoroid — it is a compact, rigid object made of rock, metal, or both. Unlike comets, which can contain ice and release gas, meteoroids are solid chunks of material that do not melt or vaporize until they enter a planet’s atmosphere. Their solid nature allows them to survive the vacuum of space and potentially reach a planet's surface as a meteorite.

Chondrite: A chondrite is a type of stony meteorite that contains chondrules — small, round particles formed in the early solar system. Chondrites are considered primitive and unaltered, preserving early solar material.

Shock wave: When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, it compresses the air in front of it, forming a shock wave. This can cause a sonic boom and contribute to the fragmentation of the object.

Space weathering: Space weathering refers to the gradual alteration of a meteoroid’s surface due to solar wind, cosmic rays, and micrometeoroid impacts. This can darken or redden the surface and change its reflectivity, affecting how it is observed from Earth.

Secret Word: This type of meteorite is made primarily of rocky silicate minerals. These are the most common type of meteorites and resemble Earth rocks, though their composition and structure can be quite different.