The nearest planet to the sun is

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which planet is closest to the sun. You only need to know the order of the planets from the sun.

Step 2: The concept The eight planets of our solar system, in order of distance from the sun, are:

1. Mercury
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars
5. Jupiter
6. Saturn
7. Uranus
8. Neptune

The first four (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are the inner (terrestrial) planets. They are small and rocky. The next four are the outer planets. Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants, while Uranus and Neptune are ice giants.

Step 3: Solve by checking each option

• A. Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun, so it is far away.
• B. Saturn is the 6th planet, which is even farther.
• C. Mercury is the 1st planet, at about 58 million km from the sun. It is the closest.
• D. Earth is the 3rd planet, at about 150 million km.

Step 4: Answer The nearest planet to the sun is Mercury, which is option C.

Tip: Use a memory sentence for the order of the planets: "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles" (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). The first word, "My", stands for Mercury, so it is always first.