Suppose a student develops a scale model of the planets. Which two planets should be the closest in diameter on the model?
Comparison of Planet Size
Planet Diameter (km)
Mercury 4,800
Venus 12,100
Earth 12,800
Mars 6,700
Jupiter 143,000
Saturn 120,000
Uranus 51,100
Neptune 50,000(1 point)
Responses
Uranus and Saturn
Uranus and Saturn
Mercury and Neptune
Mercury and Neptune
Mars and Jupiter
Mars and Jupiter
Earth and Venus
Earth and Venus
To determine which two planets should be closest in diameter on the scale model, we should find the two planets with the most similar sizes. Comparing the sizes of the planets listed:
- Mercury: 4,800 km
- Venus: 12,100 km
- Earth: 12,800 km
- Mars: 6,700 km
- Jupiter: 143,000 km
- Saturn: 120,000 km
- Uranus: 51,100 km
- Neptune: 50,000 km
By comparing the sizes, we can see that the two planets with the most similar diameters on the model would be Earth and Venus, as their diameters are the closest in size at 12,800 km and 12,100 km respectively. Thus, Earth and Venus should be the closest in diameter on the scale model of the planets.