Rocks that hit the Earth are called meteoroids, meteors, or meteorites, depending on where they are in their journey:

* Meteoroid: A small piece of rock or metal that travels through space.

* Meteor: A meteoroid that enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up, creating a bright streak of light. This is what we commonly call a "shooting star".

* Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its journey through the atmosphere and hits the Earth's surface.

So, in summary:

* Meteoroid: Space rock before entering Earth's atmosphere.

* Meteor: Space rock burning up in Earth's atmosphere.

* Meteorite: Space rock that lands on Earth's surface.