3 ms·
Those things matter at human terminal velocity (not much mind you) but not at asteroid terminal velocity. Asteroids hit with so much speed that the kinetic ener
by eloff 8y ago
Those things matter at human terminal velocity (not much mind you) but not at asteroid terminal velocity. Asteroids hit with so much speed that the kinetic energy of impact mostly overcomes the binding energy between molecules and even atoms and the impactor largely vaporizes. This is more true for comets which are looser collections of ice and rock, and more true for larger impactors.
- russdill 8y agoImpactors like that have not slowed to their terminal velocity. They either are small enough to be slowed by the atmosphere, bigger and explode in the atmosphere, bigger still and they race all the way the ground.
- eloff 8y agoyou're right
- russdill 8y agoCompletely off topic, but it really pisses me off that stuff like this gets covered uncritically: https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2016/02/08/meteorite-killed-man-at-indian-college-says-chief-minister/ https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2016/02/08/meteorite-kil...