Let’s start with some of the oldest meteorites in the solar system: chondrites. Carbonaceous chondrites or C chondrites represent some of the most pristine matter known, and their chemical compositions match the chemistry of the Sun more closely than any other class of chondrites. C chondrites (carbonaceous) are some of the most pristine material known; their composition closely matches the sun. Most of the matrix of the chondrites is made of the original condensates in the protoplanetary disk. They contain water and formed in an oxygen-rich part of the solar system. Those designated L have between 1 and 10% iron-nickel metal. Those designated LL have between 1 and 3% iron-nickel metal. In fact, the term "stony iron" is a misnomer as currently used. They are the oldest known rocks - their components formed during the birth of the solar system ca. Ordinary chondrites - constitute about 74% of the meteorites falling to Earth. Carbonaceous chondrites or C chondrites are a class of chondritic meteorites comprising at least 8 known groups and many ungrouped meteorites. Below are some photos of sawn faces of ordinary chondrites. Their most abundant component is a magnesium silicate mineral called enstatite (Mg 2 Si 2 O 6). Ordinary Chondrites. Some iron meteorites also contain many … Chondrites: The Most Abundant Type of Meteorite. Carbonaceous Chondrites. They have come to us from space, can give us clues to the makeup of our neighboring celestial bodies, and can even help us to understand how the Solar System evolved; so the term ordinary chondrite might seem a little misleading. The Meteoritical Society categorizes chondrites by class and chemistry: . 4,567 Ma - and their abundances of nonvolatile elements are close to those in the solar photosphere. These meteorites are very pristine, meaning they haven’t been melted or altered much since their formation. Ordinary chondrites contain iron-nickel metal and, consequently, will attract even a cheap magnet. Some famous carbonaceous chondrites are: Allende, Murchison, Orgueil, Ivuna, Murray, Tagish Lake, and Sutter's Mill Krot, in Treatise on Geochemistry, 2007. Within the H, L and LL categories, less altered meteorites are listed first. Scott, A.N. To find out more, visit our type table.. Chondrites Are the Oldest Meteorites in the Solar System. They include some of the most primitive known meteorites. This is because their parent bodies have not undergone the process where metal separates (or differentiates) from silicates to form a core and mantle, a process that also destroys (or encrypts) the chondrules. All chondrites are essentially made of chondrules stuck together during the process of accretion and are considered to be undifferentiated. The H type ordinary chondrites are the most common type of meteorite, accounting for approximately 40% of all those catalogued, 46% of the ordinary chondrites, and 44% of the chondrites. The brightest materials in each photo are metal grains (veins in “Richarton”).   When we look at primitive chondrites, we are getting a glimpse of what we would have seen very early in the formation of out solar system Carbonaceous chondrites generally have Mg/Si ratios near the solar value, and oxygen isotope compositions that plot below the terrestrial fractionation line. The Ordinary Chondrites are arranged with higher iron meteorites first. Carbonaceous chondrites are now defined on the basis of their refractory elemental abundances, which equal or exceed those in CI chondrites. The C chondrites represent only a small proportion (4.6%) of meteorite falls. It is thought that these chondrites formed within the orbit of Mars. The ordinary chondrites are thought to have originated from three parent asteroids, whose fragments make up the H chondrite, L chondrite and LL chondrite groups respectively. There is nothing commonplace about meteorites. What are Chondrites?Chondrites are meteorites that provide the best% clues to the origin of the solar system. Some carbonaceous chondrites are rich in carbon (CI and CM chondrites have 1.5–6% carbon), but others are not. Most (~85%) stony meteorites are ordinary chondrites. Meteorites designated H have between 15 and 19% iron-nickel metal. E.R.D. 1.07.2.3 Carbonaceous Chondrites. Enstatite chondrites - comprise about 2% of the meteorites falling to Earth. One group of chondrites (CB) has over 50% metal by volume and contains meteorites that were called stony irons until their affinities with chondrites were recognized. That these chondrites formed within the H, L and LL categories, less altered meteorites are pristine. 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