To order the planets based on their diameters from smallest to largest, we can first list the given diameters:
- Mercury: \( 4.87 \times 10^3 \) kilometers (4,870 km)
- Mars: \( 6.79 \times 10^3 \) kilometers (6,790 km)
- Earth: \( 1.28 \times 10^4 \) kilometers (12,800 km)
- Venus: \( 1.21 \times 10^4 \) kilometers (12,100 km)
Now, we will compare the values:
- Mercury: \( 4,870 \) km
- Mars: \( 6,790 \) km
- Venus: \( 12,100 \) km
- Earth: \( 12,800 \) km
Now, ordering them from smallest to largest diameter:
- Mercury: \( 4.87 \times 10^3 \) km
- Mars: \( 6.79 \times 10^3 \) km
- Venus: \( 1.21 \times 10^4 \) km
- Earth: \( 1.28 \times 10^4 \) km
Thus, the order is:
- Mercury
- Mars
- Venus
- Earth
So the correct order from smallest to largest diameter is:
- Mercury
- Mars
- Venus
- Earth