Meteorites originate from outer space objects like asteroids and comets. There are three main types of meteorites: iron, stony, and stony-iron. Iron meteorites are composed primarily of nickel and iron, and are thought to originate from asteroid cores. Stony meteorites are rock-like and can be chondrites containing chondrules, or achondrites from larger bodies. Stony-iron meteorites have a mix of stone and metal, and two subtypes are pallasites with distinctive olivine crystals, and rarer mesosiderites from violent collisions. Studying meteorites provides insights into the early solar system's formation and history of impacts.

1. Meteorites
and
its composition
Presented by
Oza saguna sharadbhai
GEL 502
M.Sc. Sem-III

2. Table of contents
01
04
02
05
03
About
Types
Origin and Composition
Conlusion
References

3. About
01

4. What is Meteor and meteorites?
A meteorite is a solid piece of
debris from an object, such as
a comet, asteroid,
or meteoroid, that originates
in outer space and survives its
passage through the
atmosphere to reach the
surface of a planet or moon.
A meteor is small body of
matter from outer space that
enters the earth's atmosphere,
becoming incandescent as a
result of friction and appearing
as a streak of light.

5. Differences
Actual fragment of a
meteoroid that has
landed on the Earth's
surface.
The visible phenomenon of a
small object burning up in the
Earth's atmosphere.
Meteor Meteorite

6. Meteorites
A meteorite is a solid object that originates in outer
space, survives its passage through Earth's
atmosphere, and lands on the surface of the Earth. It
is essentially a fragment or piece of material from a
larger parent body, such as an asteroid, the Moon, or
Mars, that has been ejected into space and then falls
to Earth.
● Meteorites are typically composed of rock-
forming minerals, metals, and sometimes
organic compounds.
● They can vary in size, ranging from tiny grains to
large boulders.

7. Types
02

8. The main types of meteorites
Primarily composed of
iron and nickel
Mostly composed of
silicate minerals
A combination of silicate
minerals and nickel-iron
alloy
Iron Stone Stony-irons

9. Origin and
composition
03

10. These meteorites are primarily composed of
iron and nickel, and they are thought to
originate from the cores of asteroids.
Asteroids are rocky bodies that can be found
in the asteroid belt, a region located between
the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Occasionally, collisions between asteroids can
break off fragments, and some of these
fragments eventually find their way to Earth.
Some iron meteorites contain
Widmanstätten patterns, which are unique
crystalline structure that formed as the
meteorite cooled.
Iron meteorite
found in 1864 in
the Sahara, weighing about
500 kg

11. Segment of the Toluca
meteorite, about 10 cm wide

12. Stony meteorites, also known as stone
meteorites or simply "stones," are one of the
three main categories of meteorites,
alongside iron and stony-iron meteorites.
They are composed mostly of silicate
minerals, similar to the rocks found on Earth.
Stony meteorites are further divided into two
main subcategories.
Stony meteorite

13. Chondrites are the most common type
of stony meteorites. They contain small,
round structures called chondrules,
which are believed to have formed in
the early solar system, possibly due to
shockwaves from nearby supernovae.
Chondrites provide valuable
information about the early stages of
our solar system's formation and the
materials present during that time.
Chondrites

14. Achondrites are stony meteorites
that do not contain chondrules.
Unlike chondrites, they are believed
to originate from larger planetary
bodies like asteroids, planets, or moons.
Achondrites may have experienced
processes such as volcanism
or differentiation, which means
they underwent geological
processes similar to those on Earth.
Achondrites

15. Stony-iron meteorites, as the name
suggests, are a type of meteorite that
contains a combination of both stony
material (silicate minerals) and iron-nickel
metal. Stony-iron meteorites are believed
to originate from the boundary region
between a planet's core and mantle. They
represent a unique and relatively rare class
of meteorites, making up about 1% of all
known meteorite falls.
Stony-iron meteorites are further divided
into two subcategories based on their
composition and structure.
Stony-Iron Meteorite

16. Pallasites are the most well-known type
of stony-iron meteorites. They are
characterized by a beautiful and
striking intergrowth of olivine crystals (a
greenish-yellow gem-quality mineral)
and a metallic matrix. Pallasites are
thought to originate from the mantle-
core boundary of differentiated
asteroids. The olivine crystals
embedded in the metallic matrix make
them visually stunning and highly
sought after by collectors and
researchers alike.
Pallasites

17. Mesosiderites are another type of
stony-iron meteorite, but they are much
rarer than pallasites. They have a
more heterogeneous appearance,
with metal veins and silicate clasts
mixed together. Mesosiderites are
believed to be the result of violent
collisions between different parent
bodies in the early solar system,
where the mantles and cores of these
bodies were mixed together in the
impact.
Mesosiderites

18. 04
Conclusion

19. Meteorites are fascinating and
valuable objects that provide
important insights into the history
and composition of our solar
system.
Meteorites have contributed
significantly to scientific
understanding, helping researchers
learn about the processes that
occurred during the early stages of
our solar system's formation.
By studying meteorites, scientists
gain insights into planetary
differentiation, the conditions in
the early solar system, and the
history of impacts and collisions.

20. 05
Resources

21. Alternative resources
• https://chat.openai.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widmanst%C3%A4tten_ pattern#:~:text=
Widmanst%C3%A4tten%20patterns%2C%20also%20known%20as,ban
ds%20or%20ribbons%20called%20lamellae

22. Thank you!!
Do you have any questions ?