An asteroid is a small or minor planets that
are members of the solar system and move in elliptical orbits. Usually found
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. A comet is relatively small, rocky,
and icy. It revolves around the sun. When a comet passes close to the sun
some of the ice turns to gas. This gas and some loose dust creates a long,
bright tail that trails behind the comet. A meteor is a small solid object
entering a planets atmosphere from outer space. Meteors sometimes come as
fireballs, and shooting or falling stars. If anyone of these hit the earth, even
something relatively small in size, it would do great damage. If a relatively
small 200-meter asteroid hit an ocean it would create devastation to all cities
near the coast. This is because it would create an enormous wave that would
be like a tremendous wall of water that would cause all of the large cities on
the coast to be under water. If a one-kilometer asteroid hit the land it would
create a dust cloud that would block the sun and all food production would
be destroyed. This dust cloud would cover the earth for years and years. A
400-500 kilometer object were to hit, it would evaporate all the oceans on
the earth. If a 1500 kilometer object were to hit it would vaporize rocks and
other debris, the temperature would rise to 2000k, the atmosphere would
exceed 100 times more pressure than now, it would flash steam the oceans,
and there would not be a drop of rain for 2000 to 3000 years. There have
been evidences that in the past there have been impacts to our planet.
Around 50,000 years ago a meteor hit the earth with around a 20 to 40
megaton explosion. In this area lived mammoths, sloth, bison, packrats,
mastodons, mountain goats, camel, horses, and tapirs. At ground zero
animals and plants were immediately vaporized. Wind scoured the land in a 3
to 5 km radius from the point of impact. The land was buried by ejecte...