Globe is a true model (miniature form) of the earth. A needle is fixed through the globe in a tilted manner, which is called its axis.
Two
points on the globe through which the needle passes
are two poles – North Pole and South Pole.
An imaginary line running on the globe divides
it into two equal parts. This line is known as the
equator.
The northern half of the earth is known as the Northern Hemisphere and the southern half is known as the Southern Hemisphere. They are both equal halves.
Therefore, the equator is an imaginary circular line and is a very important reference point to locate places on the earth. All parallel circles from the equator up to the poles are called parallels of latitudes.
Latitudes are measured in degrees.
The northern half of the earth is known as the Northern Hemisphere and the southern half is known as the Southern Hemisphere. They are both equal halves.
Therefore, the equator is an imaginary circular line and is a very important reference point to locate places on the earth. All parallel circles from the equator up to the poles are called parallels of latitudes.
Latitudes are measured in degrees.
The equator represents the zero degree
latitude.
Besides the equator (0°), the North Pole
(90°N) and the South Pole (90° S), there
are four important parallels of latitudes –
(i) Tropic of Cancer (23 ° N) in the Northern Hemisphere.
(ii) Tropic of Capricorn (23 ° S) in the Southern Hemisphere.
(iii) Arctic Circle at 66 ° north of the equator.
(iv) Antarctic Circle at 66 ° south of the equator."
(i) Tropic of Cancer (23 ° N) in the Northern Hemisphere.
(ii) Tropic of Capricorn (23 ° S) in the Southern Hemisphere.
(iii) Arctic Circle at 66 ° north of the equator.
(iv) Antarctic Circle at 66 ° south of the equator."
The mid-day sun is exactly overhead at
least once a year on all latitudes in
between the Tropic of Cancer and the
Tropic of Capricorn. This area, therefore,
receives the maximum heat and is called
the Torrid Zone.
The mid-day sun never shines
overhead on any latitude beyond the
Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of
Capricorn. The angle of the sun’s rays
goes on decreasing towards the poles. As
such, the areas bounded by the Tropic
of Cancer and the Arctic Circle in the
Northern Hemisphere, and the Tropic of
Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle in the
Southern Hemisphere, have moderate
temperatures. These are, therefore, called
Temperate Zones.
Areas lying between the Arctic Circle
and the North Pole in the Northern
Hemisphere and the Antarctic Circle and
the South Pole in the Southern
Hemisphere, are very cold. It is because
here the sun does not rise much above
the horizon. Therefore, its rays are
always slanting and provide less heat.
These are, therefore, called Frigid
Zones (very cold).
Unlike parallels of latitude, all meridians are of equal length. Thus, it was difficult to number the meridians. Hence, all countries decided that the count should begin from the meridian which passed through Greenwich, where the British Royal Observatory is located. This meridian is called the Prime Meridian. Its value is 0° longitude and from it we count 180° eastward as well as 180° westward.
The Prime Meridian and 180° meridian divide the earth into two equal halves, the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Therefore, the longitude of a place is followed by the letter E for the east and W for the west. It is, however, interesting to note that 180° East and 180° West meridians are on the same line.
Unlike parallels of latitude, all meridians are of equal length. Thus, it was difficult to number the meridians. Hence, all countries decided that the count should begin from the meridian which passed through Greenwich, where the British Royal Observatory is located. This meridian is called the Prime Meridian. Its value is 0° longitude and from it we count 180° eastward as well as 180° westward.
The Prime Meridian and 180° meridian divide the earth into two equal halves, the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Therefore, the longitude of a place is followed by the letter E for the east and W for the west. It is, however, interesting to note that 180° East and 180° West meridians are on the same line.
The earth
rotates 360° in about 24 hours, which means 15° an
hour or 1° in four minutes. Thus, when it is 12 noon
at Greenwich, the time at 15° east of Greenwich will be
15 4 = 60 minutes, i.e., 1 hour ahead of Greenwich
time, which means 1 p.m. But at 15° west of Greenwich,
the time will be behind Greenwich time by one hour,
i.e., it will be 11.00 a.m. Similarly, at 180°, it will be
midnight when it is 12 noon at Greenwich.
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