What occurs when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere?

When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it is referred to as a meteor. This term characterizes the bright streak of light seen in the sky as the meteoroid travels at high speeds and begins to burn up due to friction with the atmospheric gases. Most meteoroids do disintegrate upon entry, but this transformation does not define a meteoroid itself; rather, the breaking apart of the meteoroid is typically what allows it to shine brightly.

While some meteoroids might break apart into smaller particles or vaporize completely during their descent, others, especially larger ones, can survive the atmospheric entry and reach the surface of the Earth. When they do land on Earth, they are classified as meteorites. This distinction is important because the classification shifts only after the meteoroid has reached the Earth's surface; therefore, the correct understanding is that a meteoroid that successfully lands becomes a meteorite, while the event of entering the atmosphere and producing a visible meteor does not label it as such until it makes contact with the ground.