What is the significance of finding rare or unique minerals in meteorites, and how do these discoveries impact our understanding of planetary formation and evolution?
What role do mineral inclusions within meteorites play in understanding the history of impacts and thermal events experienced by these extraterrestrial bodies?
3. **What role do meteorites play in providing insights into the early solar system, and what minerals within them are particularly significant for this research?
4. **How do the isotopic compositions of minerals in meteorites help scientists understand processes like planetary differentiation and the formation of planetary bodies?
5. **What are the methods used to determine the age of a meteorite, and how do the minerals contained in meteorites contribute to these dating techniques?
What are the defining characteristics that differentiate a mineral from other naturally occurring substances, and how are these characteristics used to classify minerals?