Question

Why do meteorites burn when entering into the atmosphere

Answer 1

Let’s understand it by using an example.

When you rub your hands, what you feel? Right, you feel heat. Now, if you increase the speed of rubbing you will feel more heat. When two bodies rub with each other they produce heat due to frictional force.

In the same way, when a meteor enter into the atmosphere of earth it rubbed by the atmosphere. As the speed of meteor is very high, very high amount of heat is produced such that it starts burning.