Which planet has no atmosphere and a crust blasted off the surface?

Which planet has no atmosphere and a crust blasted off the surface?

• A. Mercury
• B. Venus
• C. Earth
• D. Mars

Answer: (A)

Having little to no atmosphere means the surface is exposed to space, with no air to erode features or burn up incoming meteoroids. That leaves a landscape dominated by craters and exposed crust material. Among these planets, only Mercury has essentially no atmosphere—the exosphere is extremely thin. Venus and Earth both have thick atmospheres that shape surfaces and protect them from small impacts, while Mars has a thin but present atmosphere. So Mercury best matches the description of a planet with no atmosphere and a crust visible on the surface.

Having little to no atmosphere means the surface is exposed to space, with no air to erode features or burn up incoming meteoroids. That leaves a landscape dominated by craters and exposed crust material. Among these planets, only Mercury has essentially no atmosphere—the exosphere is extremely thin. Venus and Earth both have thick atmospheres that shape surfaces and protect them from small impacts, while Mars has a thin but present atmosphere. So Mercury best matches the description of a planet with no atmosphere and a crust visible on the surface.