21) What characteristic distinguishes a meteorite from a terrestrial rock?
A) A meteorite is usually covered with a dark crust from burning in Earth's atmosphere.
B) A meteorite usually has a high metal content.
C) Meteorites have different isotope ratios of particular elements when compared to terrestrial rocks.
D) Meteorites contain rare elements, such as iridium, that terrestrial rocks do not.
E) All of the above are true.
Answer: E
22) Primitive meteorites can be distinguished from other meteorites and terrestrial rocks because they
A) contain a noticeable fraction of pure metallic flakes.
B) resemble the composition of Earth's core.
C) contain a lot of iron and were used by humans to make iron tools.
D) resemble the composition of Earth's mantle.
E) resemble the composition of rocks from lava flows that occurred on asteroids very shortly after the formation of the solar system.
Answer: A
23) Most meteorites are
A) carbon-rich and primitive.
B) rocky and primitive.
C) carbon-rich and processed.
D) rocky and processed.
E) iron-rich and processed.
Answer: B
24) Processed meteorites with low metal content probably are
A) leftover chunks of rock from the earliest period in the formation of the solar system.
B) pieces of comets rather than of asteroids.
C) chunks of a larger asteroid that was shattered by a collision.
D) chunks of rock chipped off the planet Mercury.
E) chunks of rock chipped off the planet Mars.
Answer: C
25) Meteorites can come from
A) the cores of asteroids.
B) the Moon.
C) Mars.
D) comets.
E) all of the above
Answer: E
