How do you know a meteorite?

Isotopic and mineralogical analysis and comparison to local rocks is the 'long' and expensive answer.

The short answer is 'What is the provenance?'

If the rock is found in the vicinity of a fall, shows evidence of ventifacts, has a fusion crust, then there is merit in further analysis.

I am sure that many meteoritics departments will have such a guide.

http://meteorite.unm.edu/meteorites/meteorite-museum/how-id-meteorite/

Cole C. Pazar

As a geologist, I can differentiate between a ground rock and a meteorite based on several physical characteristics listed below. Typically you want to see very dense iron and nickel with olivine and pyroxene crystals gives it away. A meteorite can be classified as a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates from outside the Earth's atmosphere and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of the Earth. To identify a meteorite, one can look for the following features:

Fusion crust: Meteorites often have a dark, melted outer layer, known as a fusion crust, that forms as they heat up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere.

Shape: Meteorites can have a distinctive shape due to their fiery entry into the Earth's atmosphere, which causes them to melt and mold into aerodynamic shapes.

Composition: Meteorites are made up of different minerals than those found on Earth, and they often contain higher levels of metallic elements such as iron and nickel.

Weight: Meteorites are often denser and heavier than typical ground rocks of similar size.

Magnetism: Some meteorites are magnetic and can be attracted to a strong magnet.

It's important to note that not all meteorites have all of these features and some rocks that meet some of these criteria may still not be meteorites. The best way to know for certain is to have the rock tested by a laboratory with the appropriate equipment and expertise. This can involve a variety of techniques, including x-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, and microscopy, to determine the rock's mineral composition and structure. Meteorites are diverse in their composition and can be classified into several groups based on their mineralogy and texture:

Chondrites: Chondrites are the most common type of meteorite and make up about 80% of all meteorites that fall to Earth. They are primitive, unsorted aggregates of small, spherical objects called chondrules.

Iron Meteorites: Iron meteorites are made almost entirely of iron-nickel alloys and are relatively rare, making up about 5% of all meteorites that fall to Earth.

Stony-Iron Meteorites: Stony-iron meteorites, also known as pallasites, are a mixture of iron-nickel and silicate minerals and are relatively rare, making up only about 1% of all meteorites that fall to Earth.

Achondrites: Achondrites are differentiated rocks, meaning they have gone through processes of melting and chemical evolution. They make up about 15% of all meteorites that fall to Earth.

Martian Meteorites: Martian meteorites are meteorites that originated from Mars and are relatively rare, making up less than 1% of all meteorites that fall to Earth.

Each type of meteorite provides unique information about the composition and history of the Solar System and the bodies from which they originated.

Hope this helps,

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