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 are thought to be relatively unchanged since the formation of the Solar System. They tend to have a high proportion of volatile compounds that would have been lost from the inner Solar System during its early, high-temperature phase. In contrast, asteroidal meteoroids have undergone more chemical evolution due to heating and differentiation processes.

Which Group of Meteoroids Is More Likely to Have Compositions