Consider the following statements regarding the planet Mercury:1. Amon...
Amongst the eight planets, Mercury is the smallest and closest to the sun, only 36 million miles away. It thus completes its orbit in a much shorter space of time than does Earth.
Consider the following statements regarding the planet Mercury:1. Amon...
Statement 1: Amongst the eight planets, Mercury is the smallest and closest to the sun.
This statement is correct. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system, with a diameter of about 4,879 kilometers. It is also the closest planet to the sun, with an average distance of about 57.9 million kilometers.
Mercury's small size and proximity to the sun make it quite unique. Its small size means that it has a weaker gravitational pull compared to larger planets like Earth. Additionally, its close proximity to the sun means that it experiences extreme temperature variations, with surface temperatures ranging from about -173 degrees Celsius to 427 degrees Celsius.
Statement 2: Mercury completes its orbit in a much longer space of time than does Earth.
This statement is incorrect. In fact, Mercury completes its orbit around the sun in a much shorter time than Earth. Mercury's orbital period, or the time it takes to complete one orbit, is about 88 Earth days. In comparison, Earth takes about 365.25 days to complete one orbit around the sun.
Mercury's shorter orbital period is due to its smaller distance from the sun. The closer a planet is to the sun, the faster it travels in its orbit. This is described by Kepler's laws of planetary motion. Since Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, it experiences a stronger gravitational pull, which causes it to move faster in its orbit.
In conclusion, statement 1 is correct as Mercury is indeed the smallest and closest planet to the sun. However, statement 2 is incorrect as Mercury completes its orbit in a much shorter time than Earth. Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A' - 1 only.