earth science

Richardton meteorite

Richardton meteorite is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Richardton meteorite rather than just read about it. In short: The Richardton meteorite is a 90 kilograms (200 lb) H5 Ordinary chondrite that was seen to fall at 21:48 on 30 June 1918 between Mott, North Dakota and Richardton, North Dakota, United States. Pieces were found in a strewn field of about 9 miles (14 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) centred on 46°37′30″N 102°16′17″W and oriented north–south.

Key takeaways

Richardton meteorite belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Richardton meteorite to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Richardton meteorite from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Richardton meteorite is a 90 kilograms (200 lb) H5 Ordinary chondrite that was seen to fall at 21:48 on 30 June 1918 between Mott, North Dakota and Richardton, North Dakota, United States. Pieces were found in a strewn field of about 9 miles (14 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) centred on 46°37′30″N 102°16′17″W and oriented north–south. As of December 2012 pieces of this meteorite were for sale online at up to US$80/g. In 1960 John Reynolds discovered that the Richardton meteorite had an excess of 129Xe, a result of the presence of 129I in the solar nebula.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Richardton meteorite

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Richardton meteorite claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Richardton meteorite before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Richardton meteorite ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Richardton meteorite

In research: Richardton meteorite appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Richardton meteorite in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Richardton meteorite is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Chondrite meteorites, Geology of North Dakota, Meteorite falls, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Richardton meteorite outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Richardton meteorite in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Richardton meteorite means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Richardton meteorite out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Richardton meteorite in simple terms?

Why does Richardton meteorite matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Richardton meteorite?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Richardton meteorite.