Explain why a meteorite burns up as it enters the earth's atmosphere. Using ideas about work and energy ...

Earths atmosphere creates resistance which in turn creates friction which in turn generates heat which in turn burns up the meteorite.

No atmosphere and even a bit of space dust would smash into the planet.

A meteorite burns up as it enters the earth's atmosphere because there are many layers of thermosphere, meosphere, stratshere etc so even when a shuttle enters the earth atmosphere it also burns so everything which comes by pressure it burns.