Which Planet Is Closest to the Sun?
Question
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
A. Earth
B. Venus
C. Mercury
D. Mars
Scroll Down for the Answer
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Correct Answer
Answer: C – Mercury
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. It is also the smallest planet in our Solar System. Mercury travels around the Sun faster than any other planet.
Let's Understand
Our Solar System has eight planets that travel around the Sun. Each planet follows a path called an orbit.
The Sun is at the center of our Solar System, and the planets travel around it at different distances.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Venus is the second planet, Earth is the third, and Mars is the fourth.
Here is the order of the first four planets from the Sun:
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Mercury is much closer to the Sun than Earth is. However, it does not have the highest average surface temperature. Venus is hotter because its thick atmosphere traps heat.
A Simple Example
Imagine standing in a playground while a lamp shines in the middle. If four children stand at different distances from the lamp, one child will be closest to it.
In a similar way, Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, followed by Venus, Earth, and Mars.
The planets are actually separated by enormous distances in space, much greater than the distances between children in a playground.
What About the Other Answers?
| Option | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Incorrect – Earth | Earth is the third planet from the Sun. It is the planet where we live. |
| B | Incorrect – Venus | Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Mercury is closer. |
| C | Correct – Mercury | Mercury is the first planet from the Sun and the closest to it. |
| D | Incorrect – Mars | Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is also called the Red Planet. |
Did You Know?
Mercury is the smallest planet: It is even smaller than some moons in our Solar System.
A year on Mercury is short: Mercury takes about 88 Earth days to complete one trip around the Sun.
Mercury has extreme temperatures: Its surface can become very hot during the day and very cold at night because it has almost no atmosphere to hold heat.
Mercury has no moons: Unlike Earth, which has one Moon, Mercury does not have any natural moons.
Think About It
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Why do you think it can become extremely cold at night even though it is so close to the Sun?
Quick Recap
| What We Learned | Simple Explanation |
|---|---|
| Which planet is closest to the Sun? | Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. |
| Which planet comes after Mercury? | Venus is the second planet from the Sun. |
| How long is a year on Mercury? | About 88 Earth days. |
| Which is the smallest planet? | Mercury is the smallest planet in our Solar System. |
| Which planet is hotter on average, Mercury or Venus? | Venus is hotter because its thick atmosphere traps heat. |

Comments
Post a Comment