Page "Meteorite" Paragraph 1
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A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface.
A meteorite's size can range from small to extremely large.
Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids.
When a meteoroid enters the atmosphere, frictional, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gasses cause the body to heat up and emit light, thus forming a fireball, also known as a meteor or shooting / falling star.
The term bolide refers to either an extraterrestrial body that collides with the Earth, or to an exceptionally bright, fireball-like meteor regardless of whether it ultimately impacts the surface.
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