Q: how might the length of mercury day affect the temperature ranges found on the planet?

A:
A)Over time the closeness of the planet to the sun has caused it to shrink.
B)The entire planet would get burned by the intense amount of sunlight.
C)Parts of the planets facing the sun get very hot and those facing away will get very cold.

I'm pretty sure that you can rule out answer choice A because I don't think that the sun can really cause the planet to shrink but I'm not sure whether the answer would be answer choices B or C, so can someone please help me? Thank you :D

okay thank you Sandra James :) I really appreciate your help. Thank you so much!

I agree; it's c.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(planet)

okay thank you Ms. Sue I also appreciate your help :D

You're welcome, Jack.

C) Parts of the planet facing the sun get very hot and those facing away will get very cold.

The length of a planet's day, or rotation period, can influence the temperature ranges experienced on the planet's surface. In the case of Mercury, which has a very long day of about 58.6 Earth days, the temperature ranges can be quite extreme.

During the daytime on Mercury, when the part of the planet is facing the sun, the surface can heat up significantly due to the direct exposure to sunlight. The sun's radiation warms up the planet's surface, causing temperatures to rise. With Mercury's proximity to the sun, the intensity of sunlight is much stronger compared to Earth. This can lead to scorching hot temperatures during the day.

On the other hand, during Mercury's nighttime, the part of the planet facing away from the sun experiences a lack of sunlight. Without this external heat source, the surface rapidly cools down, resulting in extremely cold temperatures. The absence of an atmosphere on Mercury also contributes to the temperature extremes, as there is no insulation to retain heat on the night side.

Therefore, the length of Mercury's day plays a crucial role in determining the temperature ranges on the planet. The stark contrast between the hot daytime temperatures and the cold nighttime temperatures is a result of the rotation period and the varying exposure to sunlight.