Explanation: To understand which planet has the shortest path around the Sun, we need to consider the concept of planetary orbits and the distances of the planets from the Sun. The planets in our solar system orbit the Sun in elliptical paths, with the Sun at one of the foci of the ellipse. The size of the orbit, or the semi-major axis of the ellipse, determines the distance a planet travels in one complete orbit.
Mercury, being the closest planet to the Sun, has the smallest orbit. This means that the distance it travels in one complete orbit is the shortest among all the planets. The other planets, such as Venus, Earth, and Neptune, are farther from the Sun and thus have larger orbits. As a result, they travel longer distances in their orbits around the Sun.
The misconception that might arise is that the planet with the fastest orbital speed has the shortest path. While it is true that Mercury has the fastest orbital speed due to its proximity to the Sun, the length of the path is determined by the size of the orbit, not the speed. The speed of a planet in its orbit is related to its distance from the Sun and the gravitational force exerted by the Sun, but the path length is purely a function of the orbit size.
In summary, the planet with the shortest path around the Sun is Mercury because it has the smallest orbit. This is a fundamental concept in understanding the mechanics of planetary motion and the relative positions of the planets in the solar system.