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Which statement best compares the diameters of the three planets?

A) The diameters of Jupiter and Mars are the same and larger than Saturn's diameter.
B) The photographs do not show the planets to scale, so no conclusion can be drawn about the planets' diameters.
C) The diameters of Jupiter and Mars are the same and smaller than Saturn's diameter.
D) The diameters of Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn are the same.

User Medyas
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Jupiter, the largest, has a diameter about 10 times that of Earth, while Mars has a diameter roughly half of Earth's. Saturn's diameter is about 9 times that of Earth's, making it smaller than Jupiter's but larger than Mars'. The correct comparison is that Mars has the smallest, Saturn is in the middle, and Jupiter has the largest diameter.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the sizes of the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, it's important to refer to their actual diameters relative to each other. Given the information, we can deduce that Jupiter has the largest diameter, which is about 10 times that of Earth, whereas Mars has a diameter about half that of Earth's. Saturn, although smaller than Jupiter, is still significantly larger than Mars. Therefore, Mars has the smallest diameter among the three, and Jupiter has the largest, with Saturn's diameter falling between the two.

Additionally, it is well-established in astronomy that Saturn's mass is about 25% of Jupiter's mass. This, along with their respective volumes, indicates that Jupiter's diameter is greater than Saturn's. Saturn's diameter is about 9 times that of Earth, still significantly larger than Mars but smaller than Jupiter's. Consequently, none of the statements A, B, C, or D accurately reflects the diameters of the planets based on the provided information or known astronomical data. An accurate comparison would state that Jupiter has the largest diameter, followed by Saturn, with Mars having the smallest diameter of the three.

User Khari
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