Question map
Consider the following statements about some planets in the solar system: 1. Mercury has no atmosphere. 2. Venus has two moons. 3. There is no land on Jupiter. 4. Rings of Saturn are composed of lumps of ice and dust. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is considered correct in a general context as Mercury lacks a substantial atmosphere, possessing only a tenuous, surface-bounded exosphere [4]. Statement 2 is incorrect; Venus has no natural satellites (moons) [5]. Statement 3 is correct because Jupiter is a gas giant composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, lacking a solid surface or 'land' [3]. Statement 4 is correct as Saturn's rings are primarily composed of billions of particles of ice and dust, ranging in size from tiny grains to large boulders. While Mercury has a trace exosphere [4], standard educational texts often describe it as having 'no atmosphere' due to its inability to retain heat or provide atmospheric pressure [1]. Therefore, statements 1, 3, and 4 are the accurate descriptions of these planetary bodies.
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > Mercury > p. 27
- [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Mercury
- [5] https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/planet-mercury.html
- [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > Outer Planets > p. 31
- [3] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > 13.2 What Do the Planets of Our Solar System Look Like? > p. 213