Which is the nearest planet to the Sun?

Appeared in: ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (Shift -2)

Explanation

Mercury is the first and closest planet to the Sun in our solar system.
The order of the planets from the Sun is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
A common mnemonic to remember the order is 'My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles'.

Option B: Venus is the second planet from the Sun, not the first.
Option C: Pluto is a dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt, making it one of the most distant objects from the Sun.
Option D: Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun.

Visual 1: Diagram - An infographic showing the Sun and the eight planets in their correct order of orbit, with labels for each planet. This helps to visually reinforce the sequence.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Planetary order in the solar system as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general knowledge question and has no direct clinical relevance to nursing practice.
Understanding basic science concepts can be part of general intelligence sections in some nursing entrance exams.
What if the question asked about the 'Red Planet'? The answer would be Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core question: The question asks for the 'nearest' planet to the Sun.
This is a factual recall question based on general knowledge of astronomy.
Access your memory of the solar system's structure. A helpful tool is a mnemonic like 'My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles'.
Evaluate each option based on the mnemonic or recalled order: Mercury (My), Venus (Very), Earth (Educated), etc.
Select the option that corresponds to the first position in the order.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (Shift -2)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.