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Re: Meteorite weight?
tempest@snet.net wrote:
>
> SILZAC@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > What is the "average" weight of a meteorite?
>
> What is the "average" weight of a rock?
Well the average weight of a rock is soley determined by it mineral
make-up. Basaltic type material weighs on the average of 2.8grams/cm^3,
sedimentary rocks range around 2.0-2.5grams/cm^3 (induvidual results may
very), iron meteorites weigh ~ 8grams/cm^3. The point is that iron
meteorites are much heavier than natural rocks on earth. Very few
minerals on earth weigh as much, (exception lead, gold, etc.) Natural
iron ore from earth does not weigh as much as iron meteorites, the
reason natural iron ore is not as pure nor as dense as extraterrestrial
iron for reasons as erosion and porosity and other less dense minerals
mixed-in. Iron meteorites are thermically heated that cause a fusion
internally as well as internally and lighter material is burned off.
Although there may be no apparant average size of a rock on earth,
Meteorites are not the same. To be classified a meteorite the object has
to land on earth. Also, assuming one meteorite found is 1 ton and 10
metorites found are 1 pound the the average would be 1 pound with a
ratio of 10:1 in any statistics class 10 would be the better pet. Now
that said, since we don't have an accurate count of found meteorites and
their sizes (a good list to compile) we can only assume that all the
scientist are right and that the most common sise (or average) is less
than .0001 of an inch (dust sized). As it seems that most agree that the
earth is bombarded by approximately 100,000 tons each year ( Rocks from
Space, page 45) that would suggest that the average size of a meteorite
is .0001 of an inch or dust size. Seems like an acceptable average to
me. So even if no one ever said the average size of a meteorite (on
earth) is .0001, it's probably because everyone was afraid to ask a
stupid question.
Dan
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