Previous Year Question
Which of the following planets is nearest to the Sun?
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. According to NASA, Mercury is also the smallest planet in the Solar System, and its average distance from the Sun is about 58 million kilometres (36 million miles).
Mercury completes one orbit around the Sun in about 88 Earth days, making it the fastest planet in its revolution around the Sun. Despite being closest to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet in the Solar System; Venus is the hottest planet because its dense carbon-dioxide atmosphere produces an extremely strong greenhouse effect.
Among the given options, the Moon is not a planet but Earth's natural satellite. The order of the first four planets from the Sun is Mercury → Venus → Earth → Mars. Hence, Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun.