12.6Earth and Space 03. Space
Asteroid impacts and craters — Cambridge Checkpoint Science 0893 Revision Notes & Topical Questions
5 min read 7 parts Lesson 6 of 6 1 quiz
12.6 Asteroid impacts and craters — CHECKPOINT - Lower Secondary Science 0893 notes: Describe asteroids and other rocks in space, the effects of impacts and how impact craters show collisions.ObjectDescriptionWhere foundAsteroidRocky body orbiting the SunMostly in the asteroid be…
- Meteoroids
- Meteorites
- Climate change
- Food chains
- Earth craters
- Moon craters
Section 1 of 7Rocks in space
| Object | Description | Where found |
|---|---|---|
| Asteroid | Rocky body orbiting the Sun | Mostly in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter |
| Comet | Icy body with a glowing tail near the Sun | Outer Solar System |
| Meteoroid | Rock smaller than an asteroid | Space |
| Meteor | Meteoroid burning up in the atmosphere, seen as a shooting star | Earth's atmosphere |
| Meteorite | Part of a meteoroid that reaches the ground | Earth's surface |
Section 2 of 7Meteors and meteorites
- Meteoroids
- burn up in the atmosphere because of heat from friction, so most are harmless.
- Meteorites
- about 500 reach the Earth's surface each year.
- A meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013 shattered windows.
Section 3 of 7Effects of a large asteroid impact
- Explosion
- the impact acts like a massive bomb, with shock waves and very high temperatures spreading from the crater.
- Tsunami
- an impact in the sea can create a huge wave that spreads across the oceans.
- Dust
- rock and dust thrown into the air reduce the light and heat reaching the surface.
- Climate change
- the Earth becomes much colder.
Section 4 of 7Mass extinction
- Food chains
- plants cannot photosynthesise in dim light, so animals have less food.
- Dinosaurs
- most scientists think an asteroid that hit Mexico 67 million years ago caused their extinction.
- Up to 75% of species may have become extinct.
Section 5 of 7Impact craters
- Impact crater
- a bowl-shaped hole made when an asteroid or meteorite hits a surface.
- Earth craters
- about 175 impact craters are known on the Earth.
- One crater in the USA is over 1 km wide and 170 m deep, and formed about 50 000 years ago.
- Moon craters
- the Moon has many craters because it has no weather or erosion to remove them.
Section 6 of 7Evidence of past impacts
- Craters
- such as the Chicxulub crater in Mexico, mark the impact sites.
- Rock layers
- layers of rock from the time of the impact contain unusual elements, such as iridium, which is common in asteroids.
Section 7 of 7Risk to the Earth
- Monitoring
- scientists have observed objects near the Earth since 1998.
- Assessing risk
- scientists judge the mass or diameter of the asteroid and the closest distance of its approach.
- A heavier asteroid passing further away can be a greater risk than a lighter one passing closer.
Marked practiceQuizzes for this lesson
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🌳 Student Search Tree & Frequently Asked Exam Questions: asteroid impacts and craters
Step-by-step problem-solving guide, mark scheme criteria, and experimental error analysis curated by Dr. Khaled Dabour (DABOURHUB).
1. Identify all given values and convert non-standard units, 2. State the primary formula or physiological/chemical principle, 3. Calculate to 3 significant figures and clearly state units.
Avoid confusing independent vs dependent variables in practical questions. In calculation questions, double-check percentage change formula: (change / original) × 100.
Where can I find asteroid impacts and craters past paper questions by topic with the mark scheme?
On DABOURHUB every asteroid impacts and craters question is grouped by syllabus point and shown with the mark-scheme wording, so you can see exactly which sentence earns the mark instead of scrolling through whole year papers.
What is the most common asteroid impacts and craters exam question and why do students lose marks on it?
The repeated pattern on Checkpoint Science papers is a short stem that asks you to apply asteroid impacts and craters and then justify it with a command word (explain, suggest, compare). Marks are lost by stating the fact without linking it back to the wording of the question, so each asteroid impacts and craters item here is written as a full-mark answer.
Is there an alternative to Save My Exams or Physics and Maths Tutor for asteroid impacts and craters?
Yes: the asteroid impacts and craters notes, topical questions and MCQ quizzes on this site follow the same syllabus headings as the official specification, and they open straight from the search result with no download step.
How do I revise asteroid impacts and craters in two weeks before the exam?
Three passes: read the asteroid impacts and craters notes once, then do the topical questions and mark them against the mark scheme, then redo only the ones you missed. The quiz on the page gives instant feedback so the third pass takes minutes rather than an evening.