THE SKY IS FALLING LET'S GO PICK IT UP!!!
Finding a meteorite is not an easy task but it can be rewarding
Identifying meteorites
Meteorites as we have learned so far are rocks from outerspace that come from asteroids or planets.
So how can we tell for sure we have found a meteorite? Not all meteorites will have all of the following characteristics, in fact most will have 2 or 3 but that should be enough to have them tested further when we get home. We can only be certain with tests 2 and 3.
So how can we tell for sure we have found a meteorite? Not all meteorites will have all of the following characteristics, in fact most will have 2 or 3 but that should be enough to have them tested further when we get home. We can only be certain with tests 2 and 3.
Lab testing1.The Visual Test: -Is it brown or black- meteorites are usually these colors either because it just fell (Black) or it has been lying there and has weathered over time from rain, wind, oxygen(causes it to rust) and sunlight (Brown)? -Does it have fusion crust- if it looks melted on the surface that's a good sign -Does it have regmaglypts- these are described as thumbprints or small indents, if it does that's a good sign -Does it stick to magnet-if it does that's a good sign -Does it feel dense-most meteorites have a density of over 3, while most earth rocks are in between 2.5 and 3 -Does it have rust spots-meteorites usually rust from weathering -Does it have flow lines, these are lines from wind friction- if it does that's a great sign -Does it have stress fractures, these are cracks in the surface and are due to expansion of frozen water inside -Do a scratch test on a tile after you clean it up- if it leaves a brown, red or black mark then it's not a meteorite. Clean meteorites do not streak on a tile. 2.The Density Test -First: weigh your meteorite on a precise scale. -Second: weigh your meteorite in a glass of water by tying it to a string and not letting it touch the bottom of the glass then subtract the weight of the glass of water so that you have only the weight of the water that was displaced by the volume of the potential meteorite. -Third: divide the first weight by the second. Meteorites have a density of over 3. So if its over 3 it's very likely to be a meteorite if it's not a man made object. |
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*Less than 4 or 5% of meteorites have a density below 3 but that includes the most expensive planetary meteorites, almost all Earth rocks have densities between 2.5 and 2.99
3. The Chemical Test
-Clean up the potential meteorite real good
- Use some vinegar to remove the surface rust (the vinegar is acid and it helps to remove some of the rust)
- Test for Nickel-Iron - if it tests positive then it has 99.9% chance of being a meteorite,
this is of course if the test was done correctly.
There are virtually no naturally occurring rocks on earth that contain Nickel-Iron so this is the best test!
4. If your obsessed with knowing for sure or think you have a planetary meteorite
-Get a saw with a diamond blade and cut that baby open or send it to a University or museum that will do a petrographic test on it for you. They usually keep a piece though. Click HERE for a list of institutions that will check your meteorite.
Definitely (99.9%) Not a meteorite if
-Does it have quartz crystals- if it does then it's not a meteorite
-Is it shiny-if it is then it's not a meteorite unless you shined it up with a metal cleaning solution
-Is it light or soft- then it's not a meteorite
-Does it break apart very easily, if it does it's not a meteorite
Note: There are exceptions to all these tests, you never know what you will find but not every strange rock is a meteorite sorry
3. The Chemical Test
-Clean up the potential meteorite real good
- Use some vinegar to remove the surface rust (the vinegar is acid and it helps to remove some of the rust)
- Test for Nickel-Iron - if it tests positive then it has 99.9% chance of being a meteorite,
this is of course if the test was done correctly.
There are virtually no naturally occurring rocks on earth that contain Nickel-Iron so this is the best test!
4. If your obsessed with knowing for sure or think you have a planetary meteorite
-Get a saw with a diamond blade and cut that baby open or send it to a University or museum that will do a petrographic test on it for you. They usually keep a piece though. Click HERE for a list of institutions that will check your meteorite.
Definitely (99.9%) Not a meteorite if
-Does it have quartz crystals- if it does then it's not a meteorite
-Is it shiny-if it is then it's not a meteorite unless you shined it up with a metal cleaning solution
-Is it light or soft- then it's not a meteorite
-Does it break apart very easily, if it does it's not a meteorite
Note: There are exceptions to all these tests, you never know what you will find but not every strange rock is a meteorite sorry
Everything you need to test a rock chemically, by density and visually
How to identify meteorite videos:
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