Which of the following statements about temperature changes on Mercury is correct?
A) it is always hot everywhere on Mercury, because the planet is so close to the Sun
B) it is always cold all over Mercury, because the planet has no significant atmosphere
C) one side of Mercury is always extremely hot, while the other side is about the same temperature as Los Angeles on Earth
D) the difference in temperature between Mercury's daylight side and its night side is the greatest difference of any planet in the solar system
E) we suspect Mercury must be warm, but we have not been able to measure any temperatures on the planet with our instruments

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mercury experiences extreme temperature fluctuations between its day and night sides due to its lack of a significant atmosphere to distribute heat, leading to the greatest temperature difference of any planet in the solar system.

Which of the Following Statements About Temperature Changes on Mercury