A shooting star is the trail of a meteor a chunk of debris

Last updated: 7/31/2022

A shooting star is the trail of a meteor a chunk of debris hurtling through Earth's atmosphere. As drag slows down the meteor, its energy is converted into thermal energy. A typical meteor may only weigh 2 grams, and enters the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 100,000 mph. Assuming that all of its energy is converted into thermal energy over a time of just 3 seconds, what is the power output of the shooting star? How does this compare to the power output of a typical household light bulb?