Worked example 1
Which planet is fourth from the Sun?
- Use the memory sentence: My (1) Very (2) Easy (3) Method (4).
- ‘Method’ stands for Mars.
Answer: Mars
Science · Foundation
The solar system: planets in order and key facts
The solar system is the Sun and everything that orbits it: eight planets, their moons, dwarf planets such as Pluto, asteroids and comets.
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Before you start
Who it's for and what to know first
None.
Learn it
How it works
- Planets in order from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Memory sentence: ‘My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming’.
- The four inner planets are small and rocky. The four outer planets are giants made mostly of gas or ice.
- Jupiter is the largest planet. Mercury is the smallest and closest to the Sun. Venus is the hottest because its thick atmosphere traps heat.
- Earth spins on its axis once every 24 hours, giving day and night. It orbits the Sun once a year (about 365¼ days).
- Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.
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Practice questions
Tips
Common mistakes
- Thinking Mercury is hottest because it is closest — Venus is hotter.
- Mixing up rotation (spinning, a day) with orbit (going round the Sun, a year).
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026