Pronunciations (2)
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/ˈmiː.tɪ.ə.ɹɒŋ/
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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/ˈmi.ti.əˌɹɑŋ/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
Noun
A rock that is believed to be a meteorite, but is in fact terrestrial in origin; a pseudometeorite.
Usage- Humorous
- Examples
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More examples (1)
A scarlet precipitate (C₈H₁₄N₄O₄Ni) will be present if nickel is present. A negative test for nickel means you have a "meteorwrong." A positive test may indicate you have a meteorite, but since there are many commercial nickel-iron alloys it is not a conclusive test.
Unfortunately, the object turned out to be only a “meteorwrong”—although a deceptive one.
More examples (2)
Vastly more meteorwrongs are found than meteorites. This should be no surprise. A host of Earth objects—natural and manmade—do indeed look like meteorites, and they are just waiting to be found and to confuse you.
Those who work in the field looking for meteorites keep a magnet with them at all times. This is always the first test; if the meteorite suspect is not magnetic, it is a "meteorwrong." Good collectors learn very quickly how to identify meteorwrongs since what may be represented as a very rare stone meteorite (at $200 a gram!) could turn out to be an expensive piece of junk. The classic meteorwrong is an igneous rock known as a Cumberlandite.