Chapter 6, Problem 1RD

To determine

The reason mercury undergoes extremes in temperature.

Answer to Problem 1RD

Mercury is nearest to the sun and has no atmosphere. There is always the temperate extreme between the dark side and the bright side as compare to Earth due to its low rotational speed.

Explanation of Solution

Mercury is the first planet of the solar system which is nearest to the sun and has no atmosphere and the mass of the mercury is less as compare to the mass of the Earth.

Due to absence of the atmosphere the dark side of the mercury is always very cold and the side that faces the sun is very hot. Thus, there is always the temperate extreme between the dark side and the bright side as compare to Earth.

Conclusion:

Therefore, Mercury is nearest to the sun and has no atmosphere. There is always the temperate extreme between the dark side and the bright side as compare to Earth due to its low rotational speed.