Lesson 2(A) LATITUDE and LONGITUDE
Globe
Latin word ‘Globus’ round body or a sphere
Model of the earth
Geographic coordinates:
o Parallels and meridians
o To locate places on it
Axis:
o Imaginary line about which a body or globe rotates
o Tilted manner
o 2 points North Pole
South Pole
Axis of Earth
Imaginary line
Tilted
Tilt on Earth’s case: Oblique
Moderate tilt
Angle between the axis and vertical line from the earth’s orbital planes: 23 1/2
Parallels of Latitude
## Latitude
Angular distance measured north or south of the equator
# Parallel
Line connecting all points on the same latitudes
Parallel to equator and all latitudes
Circular line
East – west directions
Distance between two parallels is always equal
Reduce in length and increase in value till they converge at a point
Equator:
o Largest of all circles: great circle (circumference = 360 0)
o Divides the Earth into two hemispheres: Northern and Southern
o Important Parallels of Latitude: [IMAGE]
# Heat zones of Earth
Based on the vertical and slanted rays of the sun.
All parts of the Earth do not receive equal amount of heat from it.
Three heat zones.
o Tropical Zone or, The Torrid Zone: (Torrid dry and hot)
Between 231/2 N to 231/2 S
Sun: overhead at noon
Direct rays of the sun
Remains hot throughout the year
o Temperate Zone:
Moderate heat
Between 231/2 N to 661/2 N and 231/2 S to 661/2 S
Sun is never overhead beyond the tropics
Angle of these rays decrease towards the poles
o Frigid Zone:
Beyond the arctic and Antarctic circles.
Coldest zones
Between 661/2 N to 900 N and 661/2 S to 900 S
The vertical rays of the sun do not go beyond the tropics.
The two tropics represent the farthest limit of the sun’s vertical rays.
Meridians of Longitude
‘Meridian’ mid-day (noon)
o Latin word
o ‘meri’ sun’s highest position in the sky
Semi-circles running through the north and south poles; and cutting across the equator at right
angles
Equal length
Converge at poles; distance between two consecutive meridians decrease towards the poles
00 to 1800 (E&W)
Prime Meridian:
o Meridian passes through Greenwich Observatory, London
o 00
o Also Greenwich Meridian
o Divides Earth into two hemispheres : Eastern and Western
Longitude:
o Angular distance of a place East or West of the Prime Meridian.
o Max distance between two meridians is at the Equator
o 00 and 1800 are common in both hemispheres
Grid:
o Network of lines
o Crossing each other
o Horizontally and vertically ( parallels and meridians)
o Intersections at right angles
Lesson 2(B) CONCEPT of TIME
Circumference of Earth = 3600
10 = 60 minutes (60 /)
1 / = 60 seconds
Local Time
Earth completes one rotation in 24 hours
o 3600 24 hours
o 3600 / 24 = 150 1hour
o 150 60 minutes
o ¼0 1 min
o 10 = 4 min
Earth rotates from West to East
Local time shadow cast by the sun (shortest at noon) sun overhead
When the PM (00) has the sun at the highest point in the sky, all places located on this
longitude with have the same time i.e, noon. [Every place on the same meridian will have the
same time]
West East
o Places east to Greenwich will be ahead of Greenwich time
o Places west of Greenwich will be behind
Standard Time
Local time –differs from place to place larger area more than one loal time
To follow uniform time throughout a country or region
Based on central meridian of the country or region or the meridian on which the most
important city is located
Standard time (multiple of 71/2 ½ an hour)
Time Zones
Earth 24 time zones (1hour each)
Each zone 150 longitude
Large countries (large longitudinal extent) more than one time zone
o Example Russia (11 time zones), US (4 time zones)
IST: Indian Standard Time
Longitudinal extent of time: 680 7/ E to 970 25/ E
Central meridian: 821/2 E
East of Greenwich (5:30 hours)
International Date Line (IDL)
Imaginary line
Internationally agreed
1800 meridian
Some deviations
West to East gaining of the day While
East to West losing of the day crossing
It’s in middle of time zone
o Change on the calendar (date)
o No change in clock (time)
