Question

The third closest planet to the sun and fifth largest planet is

• A. the Earth
• B. Mars
• C. Jupiter
• D. Venus

Hint:

Remember that the four gas outer planets are always larger than the four rocky inner planets.
Since Earth is the largest of the rocky planets, it naturally occupies the fifth position in terms of size.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to identify the planet in our solar system that is the third closest to the Sun and the fifth largest in terms of size.

Step 2: Key Concepts and Planetary Orders:
Let's analyze the planets by two distinct metrics: distance from the Sun and physical size.
1.

Distance order (closest to farthest): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
2.

Size order (largest to smallest): Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:

• Distance Verification: The third planet from the Sun is Earth.
Mercury is the first, and Venus is the second.

• Size Verification: Earth is the largest of the terrestrial (rocky) planets.
The four gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are all larger than Earth.
This places Earth as the fifth largest planet overall in the solar system.

• Other Options:
- Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the seventh largest.
- Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest.
- Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the sixth largest.


Step 4: Final Answer:
Thus, the Earth perfectly matches both criteria, which corresponds to Option (A).