Which is an inferior planet?

Question 1 of 2707066636ee928f7522a1c5199af

Back

Question 1 of 27070

Q

Which is an inferior planet?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Inferior planet vs superior planet (relative to Earth’s orbit) • Order of planets in the solar system from the Sun outward • Which planets’ orbits lie inside Earth’s orbit and which lie outside

💭 Think About

• First, recall which planets are closer to the Sun than Earth, and which are farther away than Earth. • Think about the definition: is an "inferior" planet one that is smaller, or is it defined by its position relative to Earth’s orbit? • For each choice, ask: does this planet orbit the Sun inside Earth’s orbit or outside Earth’s orbit?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify the definition: an inferior planet is one whose orbit lies inside Earth’s orbit. • List the planets in order from the Sun until you get to Earth, then note which of the answer choices appear before Earth in that list. • Eliminate any planet whose orbit is clearly beyond Earth’s orbit, since those are considered superior planets.