Which of the following statements relating to the planet Venus is/are correct ? 1. It is the nearest planet from the Sun. 2. It is only slightly smaller than the Earth, 3. It has no atmosphere. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Statement 1 is incorrect because Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun, while Venus is the second planet in the solar system [c1, c2]. Statement 2 is correct; Venus is often described as Earth's 'sister planet' or 'twin' because it is only slightly smaller, with a radius approximately 95% of Earth's and a mass about 81.5% of Earth's [c3, t2, t7]. Statement 3 is incorrect as Venus possesses the densest atmosphere of the four terrestrial planets, composed of approximately 96% carbon dioxide with thick clouds of sulfuric acid [c1, t3]. The atmospheric pressure at the surface of Venus is roughly 92 times that of Earth, creating a massive greenhouse effect that makes it the hottest planet in the solar system [c1, t1, t5]. Therefore, only statement 2 is accurate.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > Venus > p. 28
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > Table 13.2: Planets in our solar system > p. 213
3. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > Venus > p. 27
4. [4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/venus-surface
5. [5] https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Big-Is-Venus