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A meteorite burns completely before entering the Earth`s atmosphere. What happens to its momentum?

A meteorite burns completely before entering the Earth`s atmosphere. What happens to its momentum?

Grade:11

1 Answers

Arun
25750 Points
6 years ago
A meteorite has both potential and kinetic energy before entering the atmosphere of the Earth. As it enters and falls towards the surface of the Earth, frictional heating occurs, caused by collision with the molecules in the atmosphere which reduces its velocity. Hence the kinetic energy decreases, which is converted to heat energy. Potential energy is continuously decreasing, being converted to kinetic energy. There is also mass loss due to ablation.
When a meteorite approaches the earth it has a very large momentum whose magnitude goes on decreasing it approaches the earth by collision with the atmoshoheric gases.It become zero at last and meteorite burns.

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