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Mad About Meteors Trivia Quiz

Meteors fly through the sky, but how much do we know about them here on Earth?

A multiple-choice quiz by bigdaddypanda. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
bigdaddypanda

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
243,495

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
911

Last 3 plays: Guest 174 (4/10), Guest 85 (3/10), Guest 50 (5/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The word, "meteor" comes from the Greek word, "meteoron".

True

False

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Question 2 of 10

2. The most famous meteor shower is the Perseids. What is its other name? Hint

Tears of Saint Lawrence

Northern Lights

Saint Elmo's Fire

Southern Lights

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Question 3 of 10

3. The International Space Station has protection from meteors. What is it made of? Hint

Steel

Rubber

Kevlar

Plastic

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Question 4 of 10

4. About 4,000 meteoroids hit Earth each day.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. It has been estimated that a meteorite does what once every 180 years? Hint

Hits a human

Strikes the moon

Leaves a crater

Splits in half

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Question 6 of 10

6. In the 1990s, a spacecraft was designed to protect Earth from meteors, asteroids and comets. What was its name? Hint

Buster I

Maybelle I

Defender II

Clementine II

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Question 7 of 10

7. In theory, can a nuclear blast destroy incoming meteors?

Yes

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Question 8 of 10

8. In what country must you turn over any meteor finds? Hint

Russia

Scotland

South Africa

Egypt

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Question 9 of 10

9. Most meteorites are found in Antarctica and where else? Hint

New Zealand

Brazil

Hawaii

North Africa

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Question 10 of 10

10. A meteorite struck Antarctica in 2004. It was 30 feet wide. How far away was the climate affected by this strike? Hint

Only a small section of Antarctica

Other side of the planet

The North Polar region

South Africa and Argentina

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Nov 02 2024 : Guest 174: 4/10
Sep 29 2024 : Guest 85: 3/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The word, "meteor" comes from the Greek word, "meteoron".

Answer: true

It means, phenomenon in the sky. What we see is merely the streak of light that follows a meteroid. We also know them as shooting stars. On a clear night, as mny as 100 can be seen from any single part of the world. Only about 30% of all meteors are witnessed by someone on the planet.

2. The most famous meteor shower is the Perseids. What is its other name?

Answer: Tears of Saint Lawrence

This spectacular shower is named after a martyr in early Rome. He was burned on an open stove in 258 AD. Another famous meteor shower, the Leonids, inspired this section of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", by Samuel Taylor Coleridge:

The upper air burst into life!
And a hundred fire-flags sheen,
To and fro they were hurried about!
And to and fro, and in and out,
The wan stars danced between
And the coming wind did roar more loud,
And the sails did sigh like sedge;
And the rain poured down from one black cloud;
The Moon was at its edge

3. The International Space Station has protection from meteors. What is it made of?

Answer: Kevlar

That's right, the same stuff used for bullet-proof vests. It is a foot thick. About 100,000 meteors should strike the ISS in its 20 year lifetime. While iron is a common part of meteors, most meteors are composed of chondite. Chondite is similar in composition to the mantles and crusts of the terrestrial planets.

4. About 4,000 meteoroids hit Earth each day.

Answer: False

As many as 4 billion hit the Earth each day. Most of them are extremely small, so don't be scared. A meteor is bigger than a speck of dust and smaller than an asteroid. A large strike can leave a crater like the one found near Winslow, Arizona in America. It is called the Barringer Crater or Meteor Crater.

5. It has been estimated that a meteorite does what once every 180 years?

Answer: Hits a human

The study was done in 1985 by "Nature". That averages out to .0055 times a year. The last one in the 20th century struck a woman in the southern part of the United States. The meteorite was about eight pounds.

6. In the 1990s, a spacecraft was designed to protect Earth from meteors, asteroids and comets. What was its name?

Answer: Clementine II

Anything that might hit Earth is called a Near Earth Object. The project was canceled by President Clinton.

7. In theory, can a nuclear blast destroy incoming meteors?

Answer: yes

In theory, it is exploded in the vicinity of the meteor. The radiation pulse vaporizes the object's surface. This would cause a change in course.

8. In what country must you turn over any meteor finds?

Answer: South Africa

The Meteoritical Society demands that 20% or 20 grams (whichever is smaller) be donated for research, no matter what country it is found in. This is hard to enforce as they have no legal authority. However, the National Heritage Law in South Africa requires that all of the meteors found in South Africa be turned over to the authorities.

9. Most meteorites are found in Antarctica and where else?

Answer: North Africa

They are easy to spot in the desert or ice. Over 24,000 meteorites of notable size are known to have landed on Earth. A Martian meteorite can fetch about $500 a gram. Most other space rocks are about $2 a gram.

10. A meteorite struck Antarctica in 2004. It was 30 feet wide. How far away was the climate affected by this strike?

Answer: Other side of the planet

It scattered 2 million pounds of dust into the air. It also seeded rain clouds for miles around.

Source: Author bigdaddypanda

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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