How to distinguish a meteorite from a rock

Fragments of asteroids and comets - small celestial body moving in interplanetary space in their orbits. Getting into the zone of attraction of the Earth, they fall to its surface. This meteorites. Not all celestial stones are seen and found. Some call them meteors vaporize in the atmosphere, failing to reach the planet's surface, larger at impact break or disintegrate into dust. But something still manages to find. Some of the finds are very impressive dimensions. Every year, the Earth receives more than 100 tons of meteoritic matter.

You will need

• - alcohol;
• - nitric acid.

Instruction

1. All meteorites are divided into iron, zhelezorudnye and stone, depending on its chemical composition. The first and second have a significant percentage of content of Nickel iron. Find them very often, as with the surface grey or brown, they eyes are indistinguishable from ordinary stones. Look their best with the help of a mine detector. However, taking such a sample in hand, you'll know that hold the metal or something similar to it.
2. Iron meteorites have a high specific gravity and magnetic properties. Fallen for a long time, acquire a rusty hue – this is their distinguishing feature. A large part zhelezorudnye and stone meteorites also magnetized. The latter, however, is much less. Recently fallen stone meteorite to detect simply because around the place of his fall is usually formed a crater.
3. When moving through the atmosphere the meteorite crash. Have recently fallen a noticeable melted shell. After cooling at their surface are regmaglypt hollows and ridges like fingerprints on clay, and sherstisto - traces, resembling the bursting of bubbles. The shape of the meteorites are often similar to several rounded head of the projectile.
4. In house conditions it is possible to carry out the reaction for Nickel. We split the sample and Polish it to a mirror Shine. Prepare a solution of nitric acid in alcohol in the ratio of 1:10. Immerse in the sample, slightly stir. After some time, its surface will become visible so-called Widmanstatten shapes of crystals of the metal. However, some small iron meteorites crystal structure after such an experience does not occur.
5. The split stone of the meteorite are often seen in small, about 1 mm, the formation of the grains – Hendry. Iron – inclusions of metal in the form of strips.