* Meteoroid: A small, rocky or metallic body in space. Think of it as a space rock, ranging in size from a grain of sand to a boulder. They orbit the Sun, and most are remnants of comets or asteroids.
* Meteor: This is what happens when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere. The friction with the air causes it to heat up and glow, creating the streak of light we call a "shooting star".
* Meteorite: If a meteoroid survives its fiery journey through the atmosphere and lands on Earth, it becomes a meteorite. These are the remnants of the meteoroid that we can study on the ground.
Think of it like this:
* Meteoroid: The space rock itself.
* Meteor: The space rock burning up in the atmosphere.
* Meteorite: The space rock that makes it to the ground.
