Howardites
Young Scientists · Ages 12–14

Meteorites Explained

A complete guide for young scientists

Corvanelle Publishing

The oldest solids in meteorites formed 4,567 million years ago, before any planet. Meteorites Explained shows how scientists know: from the collapse of the solar nebula and the resonances that steer asteroid fragments to Earth, to the physics of entry, the full classification of chondrites, achondrites, irons and stony-irons, and the radioactive clocks that date them. Real cases run throughout, from Ensisheim and L'Aigle to Chelyabinsk, Winchcombe, Bennu and DART, with worked examples, practice problems with answers, a gazetteer, a timeline and a glossary.

  • 50,139 words
  • About 268 pages
  • 28 chapters
  • Ages 12–14
£6.99

Contents

  1. Preface
  2. Rocks From Space: The Basic Facts
  3. The Birth of the Solar System
  4. Asteroids
  5. Comets and Meteoroid Streams
  6. From Orbit to Earth
  7. Through the Atmosphere
  8. Sorting Meteorites: Minerals and Main Classes
  9. Ordinary Chondrites
  10. Carbonaceous and Enstatite Chondrites
  11. Achondrites: Pieces of Melted Asteroids
  12. Meteorites from the Moon and Mars
  13. Iron Meteorites
  14. Stony-Iron Meteorites
  15. Dating Meteorites
  16. Impact Craters
  17. Impacts and the History of Life
  18. Meteorites in History
  19. Famous Falls of the Modern Era
  20. Meteor Showers
  21. Missions to Asteroids and Comets
  22. Planetary Defence
  23. Recognising a Meteorite
  24. Law, Ethics and Careers
  25. Gazetteer of Notable Meteorites
  26. Timeline
  27. Practice Problems
  28. Glossary