Question

Which one of the following is not true?

• A. Earth is the third planet from the Sun
• B. Earth is the only place in the Universe to host life
• C. Earth is the fifth largest planet in the solar system
• D. Earth orbits the sun, defining day and night for surface dwellers

Hint:

Recall the order of planets by size: Jupiter > Saturn > Uranus > Neptune > Earth. Earth is fifth largest. Verify statements carefully for correctness.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To determine which statement is not true, let's examine each provided option:

1. Earth is the third planet from the Sun: This is true. Earth is indeed the third planet from the Sun in our solar system, following Mercury and Venus.
2. Earth is the only place in the Universe to host life: As of current knowledge, this is considered true. Earth is the only known planet that hosts life, though research continues to explore this question in other parts of the Universe.
3. Earth is the fifth largest planet in the solar system: This statement is not true. Earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets but is the fifth largest planet overall, preceded by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Therefore, this statement is incorrect regarding size, not placement.
4. Earth orbits the sun, defining day and night for surface dwellers: This is true. The Earth's rotation on its axis while orbiting the Sun results in the cycle of day and night.

Taking into account the detailed verification of each statement, the incorrect statement is: Earth is the fifth largest planet in the solar system. This is the statement that does not hold true when comparing the size of the Earth to other planets in our solar system.