Why do meteors burn up when they enter the mesosphere?
Flexi Says:
There are very few gas molecules in the mesosphere. This means that there is little matter to absorb the Sun’s rays and heat the air. Most of the heat that enters the mesosphere comes from the stratosphere below. That’s why the mesosphere is warmest at the bottom. Meteors burn as they fall through the mesosphere. The space rocks experience friction with the gas molecules. The friction makes the meteors get very hot. Many meteors burn up completely in the mesosphere.