Question

What is the Perihelion position of earth?
A) Minimum distance from sun.
B) Farthest distance from sun.
C) Equal distance from earth.
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Apsis defines the two extreme points (perihelion and aphelion) that is the nearest and the farthest point in the orbit. For example: determining the earth’s orbit to the sun whether the earth’s farthest point or the nearest point.

Complete answer:
Now let us look into the given options:
Option A) Minimum distance from sun – Perihelion describes the position of earth from sun or the nearest to the sun. Thus, this is the best definition of the perihelion position of earth. And this is the correct answer.

Option B) Farthest distance from sun – Aphelion is defined as the farthest from the sun. And aphelion occurs in July. Therefore, it is clear from this option that this option does not define perihelion in fact this option defines the aphelion. So, this is an incorrect answer.

Option C) Equal distance from earth – Perihelion does not define the equal distance of earth. Thus, considering this option as an incorrect answer.

Option D) None of the above – this is an invalid option because correct option lies in option A

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: Astronomical unit is used to measure the distance between earth and the sun (used to calculate the mean distance between them). However, there are two positions of Earth: Perihelion and aphelion. Perihelion describes the nearest distance from sun and aphelion describes the farthest distance from sun. And these two terms come under the apsis of earth’s orbit of the sun.