What is the name given to the remaining portion of cosmic material that strikes the Earth's surface?
Answer
Meteorite
When an object entering the atmosphere successfully decelerates sufficiently without completely vaporizing during its fiery transit, the remaining fragment that impacts the Earth's ground is classified as a meteorite. A meteorite is specifically defined as an extraterrestrial object that has been successfully recovered after reaching the surface of Earth. Because the survival rate through the intense atmospheric entry is low, every recovered meteorite is considered scientifically valuable as it represents a tangible piece of early solar system material preserved in the vacuum of space, avoiding terrestrial erosion and alteration.
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