What trait makes Lunar and Martian meteorites hard to distinguish from common Earth rocks?
Answer
Their terrestrial appearance
One significant factor contributing to the difficulty in identifying Lunar and Martian meteorites is their physical resemblance to ordinary rocks found on Earth, a characteristic referred to as their terrestrial appearance. Unlike many iron meteorites, which are distinctly magnetic and metallic, these achondrites sourced from other planetary bodies often lack obvious visual markers that would signal an extraterrestrial origin to a non-specialist. This necessitates relying on advanced chemical or mineralogical testing to confirm their source, contrasting sharply with the straightforward identification often possible for magnetic iron finds.
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