Latitude, Longitude and Time 



EXERCISE

1. Answer the following questions in about 30 words:

I. Which are the two natural points of references on the earth?

Ans: The two natural points of reference on Earth are the North Pole and the South Pole, marking the ends of the Earth's axis and defining its rotational plane. They serve as crucial reference points for navigation, climate zones, and even measuring astronomical phenomena.

II. What is a great circle?

Ans: Imagine slicing an orange: the largest circle you get is a great circle! It cuts straight through the center of the sphere, like slicing through the Earth's core. Think of it as the shortest path between two points on any sphere.

III. What are coordinates?

Ans: Coordinates are like addresses for points on a map! They use numbers (usually pairs) to pinpoint exactly where something is on a grid or other system, helping you navigate the world or understand relationships between locations.

IV. Why does the sun appear to be moving from east to west?

Ans: It's a trick of perspective! The Earth spins from west to east, causing the sun, moon, and stars to appear to rise in the east and set in the west. We "travel" with the Earth's rotation, making it seem like the sun moves across the sky, not us!

V. What is meant by local time?

Ans: Local time is the time observed in a specific place, reflecting the position of the sun directly overhead. It's like your own mini-clock synchronized with the sun's movement over your location, different from other places farther east or west due to Earth's rotation.

2. Distinguish between latitudes and longitudes.

Ans: Both latitudes and longitudes are imaginary lines used to locate points on the Earth's surface, but they differ in their direction and function:

1. Direction:

*Latitudes: Run horizontally, like parallel circles around the Earth, with 0° at the equator and 90° at each pole (North and South).

*Longitudes: Run vertically, like lines joining the North and South Poles, with 0° at the Prime Meridian (Greenwich, England) and extending 180° East and 180° West.

2. Function:

*Latitudes: Measure north-south distance from the equator, determining climate zones, daylight hours, and even cultural differences.

*Longitudes: Measure east-west distance from the Prime Meridian, establishing time zones and helping identify relative positions between places.

Remember:

*Think of latitudes as lines of latitude, like rungs on a ladder, showing how high (north/south) you are from the equator.

*Think of longitudes as lines of longitude, like the spokes of a wheel, showing how far east/west you are from the Prime Meridian.

    By understanding their distinct roles, you can use both latitudes and longitudes like a precise map grid to pinpoint any location on Earth!

ACTIVITY

1. Find out the locations of the following places with the help of your

atlas and write their latitudes and longitudes.

Place Latitude Longitude

I. Mumbai

II. Vladivostok

III. Cairo

IV. New York

V. Ottawa

VI. Geneva

VII. Johannesburg

VIII. Sydney

2. What would be the time of the following cities if the time at Prime

Meridian is 10 a.m.

I. Delhi

II. London

III. Tokyo

IV. Paris

V. Cairo

VI. Moscow




Answer By: Himashree Bora.