To survive passage through the Earth's atmosphere without burning or breaking up before it hits the ground, an asteroid must be:
A) at least 1 meter in size
B) at least 10 meters in size
C) at least 100 meters in size
D) at least 1 kilometer in size
E) at least 1,000 kilometers in size

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is the minimum size required for an asteroid to survive passage through the Earth's atmosphere without burning or breaking up. Smaller asteroids burn up due to friction with the atmosphere, while larger asteroids can cause significant damage upon impact. A 100 meter asteroid is still relatively small in the grand scheme of things, but it could still cause significant damage if it were to hit a populated area.

To Survive Passage Through the Earth's Atmosphere Without Burning or Breaking