Which group of meteoroids is more likely to have compositions indicative of those in the early Solar System?
A) asteroidal meteoroids
B) cometary meteoroids
C) both groups are equally likely
D) neither group: All meteoroids have undergone significant chemical evolution.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cometary meteoroids are more likely to have compositions indicative of those in the early Solar System because comets formed far from the Sun where the temperatures were low enough for volatile materials (such as water, methane, and ammonia) to condense and form solid particles. These particles are thought to have been some of the building blocks of the early Solar System, and as such, cometary meteoroids are likely to have retained some of these primitive materials. Asteroidal meteoroids, on the other hand, are thought to have undergone significant chemical evolution due to the high temperatures and pressures present in the inner Solar System, and therefore are less likely to have compositions indicative of those in the early Solar System.

Which Group of Meteoroids Is More Likely to Have Compositions