Fractures

Meteorites do not land on Earth with visible fractures

back to “Some Meteorite Realities”

If a meteoroid in space has a fracture (crack), then it will break from stress as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere. A meteorite that has been on Earth a long time might fracture, but not linearly. Linear fractures develop in igneous rocks as they cool. See also jointing. Parallel fractures are a sure-sign of an Earth rock. All of the photos below were sent to me by persons who thought the rock might be a meteorite.

These rocks are not meteorites.
back to “Some Meteorite Realities”