According to increasing distance from the Sun, which order of the inner planets is correct?

Introduction / Context:

This question checks basic astronomy, specifically the arrangement of the inner planets in our solar system. Remembering the correct order of planets according to their distance from the Sun is a classic general science task that often appears in school exams and competitive tests.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are dealing with the inner rocky planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.
• Distance is measured radially outward from the Sun.
• The order does not depend on orbital positions at a particular time, but on average orbital radii.
• We assume the standard solar system model taught in schools.

Concept / Approach:

The eight major planets orbit the Sun in a fixed sequence. Starting from the Sun, the order is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. For this question only the first four inner planets are relevant. The approach is to recall the full sequence and then select the option that correctly lists the first four in order of increasing distance from the Sun.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Orbital data show that Mercury has the smallest average distance from the Sun, followed by Venus, then Earth and then Mars. Their approximate average orbital radii increase in that same order. This scientific information aligns with the mnemonic and with basic textbook diagrams of the solar system. Thus there is strong agreement on the sequence Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars as the correct order.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

The option Mercury, Earth, Mars, Venus incorrectly places Earth before Venus, which contradicts the known orbital radii. Mercury, Mars, Earth, Venus places Mars second, which is also wrong. Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth not only moves Mars up but also misplaces Earth at the end of the inner group. The option beginning with Venus and then Mercury reverses the first two planets completely. None of these alternatives matches the accepted planetary order.

Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes confuse Venus and Mars because both are near Earth in the sequence and receive attention in science news. Others may remember only that Mars is called the red planet and is farther out than Earth, but fail to place Venus correctly. Using a simple mnemonic phrase that encodes the order of all planets helps avoid these errors in exams and general recall.

Final Answer:

The correct order of inner planets by increasing distance from the Sun is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.