Which is the third nearest planet to the sun?

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (Shift-3)

Explanation

Earth is the third planet in order of distance from the Sun.
The sequence of planets starting from the Sun is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Earth is located between Venus (the second planet) and Mars (the fourth planet).

Option A: Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, not the third. It is the largest planet in the solar system.
Option B: Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, located after Earth.
Option C: Venus is the second planet from the Sun, located before Earth.

Visual 1: Diagram - A diagram of the solar system showing the Sun and the eight planets in their correct order of orbit. This visual helps to clearly see that Earth is the third planet.

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 question assesses general knowledge, which is a component of some nursing entrance examinations.
While not a direct clinical concept, a broad knowledge base is beneficial for holistic patient interaction and communication.
What if the question asked for the third largest planet? The answer would be Uranus, highlighting the difference between order by distance and order by size.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question from general science.
First, read the question carefully to identify the key requirement: 'third nearest planet to the sun'.
Recall the order of the planets from the Sun. A helpful mnemonic is 'My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Noodles' (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
Identify the third planet in this sequence, which is Earth.
Compare this with the given options and select the correct one.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (Shift-3)

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