Howardites

A printable worksheet for the lesson What do meteorites look like? (Start here: Beginner). It prints on A4 without the website around it. The answers are on a separate sheet for the teacher.

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Start here: Beginner · Ages 7 and upHowardites worksheet

What do meteorites look like?

Name:Class:Date:

Key words

Meteorite
A meteorite is a piece of space rock that has survived its fall through the air and landed on Earth.
Fusion crust
Fusion crust is the thin, dark skin that forms on a meteorite as its surface melts during its fall.
Thumbprints
Thumbprints is a common name for regmaglypts, the shallow dents on a meteorite's surface that look as if pressed by thumbs.
Regmaglypts
Regmaglypts are shallow dents, like thumbprints, scooped into a meteorite's surface during its fiery fall.
Flow lines
Flow lines are thin streaks in a meteorite's fusion crust, left by melt that was pushed backwards across the surface during flight.
Iron-nickel metal
The shiny metal found in most meteorites, made of iron mixed with a little nickel.

Choose the right answer

Circle the letter of the right answer.

  1. What shape are most meteorites?
    • AFlat and thin, like plates
    • BPerfectly round, like balls
    • CSharp-edged, like cubes
    • DLumpy, with smooth rounded edges
  2. A rock hardly reacts to a magnet. Could it still be a meteorite?
    • AYes, a few rare ones hardly react at all
    • BNo, every meteorite pulls a magnet
    • COnly if it is an iron meteorite
    • DNo, only Earth rocks ignore magnets
  3. Which pair of clues were both made during the fiery fall through the air?
    • ABubbles and holes
    • BMetal specks and heaviness
    • CFusion crust and thumbprint dents
    • DHeaviness and pulling a magnet
  4. Why are a few meteorites shaped like a cone or a shield?
    • AThey spun round very fast as they fell
    • BThey kept pointing the same way as they fell
    • CThey landed point first in soft mud
    • DPeople carved them into that shape later

True or false?

Is the answer given right? Tick True or False.

  1. A rock is heavy for its size and pulls a magnet. What can you say about it?

    Answer given: It cannot possibly be a rock from Earth TrueFalse

  2. How do thumbprint dents get made on a meteorite?

    Answer given: People press them in by hand after it lands TrueFalse

Write your answer

Answer in a word or a short sentence.

  1. How does the magnet-on-a-string test work?
  2. How does a fusion crust form?

Task

Tie a fridge magnet to a piece of thread. Dangle it near different things around your home: a spoon, a coin, a stone from the garden. Which ones pull the magnet? Do not test rocks belonging to museums or other people without permission.

Howardites · free to copy for use in your classroom · answers are on the separate teacher's answer sheet