Howardites

The answer sheet for the worksheet When a meteorite falls. Each answer comes with the reason, so it can be used to mark or to go over the questions with the class.

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Start here: Beginner · Ages 7 and upAnswer sheet for teachers

Answers: When a meteorite falls

  1. A: The air slows it to the speed of a falling stoneThe air brakes small rocks so hard that they land slowly; only very large rocks keep enough speed to dig a crater.
  2. B: It is squeezed and heated so much that it glowsThe rock is so fast that the air in front of it is squeezed and heated until it glows as a fireball.
  3. C: Less than 1 kilogramVery often more than nine tenths of the rock is lost, so less than a tenth, here under 1 kilogram, lands.
  4. B: The wind pushes them sideways as they fallDuring dark flight the wind can push the falling pieces sideways, making the landing place tricky to predict.
  5. False: the right answer is A few hundred kilometres per hour at mostMost small meteorites land at the speed of a falling stone, a few hundred kilometres per hour at most.
  6. True (A stone dropped from a very tall tower)In dark flight the rock no longer glows; it simply falls, like a stone dropped from a great height.
  7. Booms like thunder and whistling sounds (accept any answer with the same meaning)People nearby may hear sonic booms like thunder, and sometimes whistling or buzzing as pieces fall.
  8. The push of the air is too much for it (accept any answer with the same meaning)The pressure of the air on the rock becomes too strong, so it often breaks apart.

Task

Answers will vary. The task comes from the lesson: Drop a feather, a sheet of paper and a rubber from the same height. Which lands first? Now scrunch the paper into a ball and try again. The air slows things down, just as it slows falling meteoroids.

Look for work that uses the key words correctly and gives a reason for each point.

Howardites · teacher copy: keep it separate from the pupil worksheets