chondrule

[kon-drool]

noun

1. a small round mass of olivine or pyroxene found in stony meteorites.

chondrule

/ ˈkɒndruːl /

noun

1. one of the small spherical masses of mainly silicate minerals present in chondrites

chondrule

1. A small round granule of olivine or pyroxene occurring in many stony meteorites. Chondrules are thought to have formed from the condensation of hot gases in the solar system.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chondrule¹

First recorded in 1885–90; chondr- + -ule

Example Sentences

The chemical composition of chondrules can help scientists understand the structure and composition of the nebula of gas and dust from which the planets and asteroids formed.

Read more on Scientific American

The pieces of the asteroid Ryugu could answer stubborn questions about the origins of our solar system, including how chondrules were made.

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"The mission will proceed over several phases with the introduction of different types of particles into the ETC, beginning with large solid spherical particles, and finishing with aggregates of micron-sized dust and chondrules."

Read more on Salon

In the other camp, which proposes chondrule formation was post-planetesimal, one of the more prominent models is called impact jetting.

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To form, chondrules must be heated and then cooled rapidly, a scenario that is difficult to explain.

Read more on New York Times