SOCIAL SCIENCE
Movement of the Earth: Rotation and Revolution
EXPECTED QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS
1.What is Earth’s rotation -It is the process by which the Earth spins on its own axis,
an imaginary line running through its North and South Poles. This rotation takes
approximately 24 hours(23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds).The Earth rotates from west
to east.So Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.The main effects of the rotation of
the Earth are day and night ,Tides and the Coriolis effect
2.Tilt of the Earth's axis is 23 1/2o.
3.Define Circle of Illumination-The Earth receives light from the Sun. During
rotation, the part of the Earth facing the Sun has daytime and the other part
experiences night. The imaginary line that demarcates day and night on the Earth is
called the Circle of Illumination.It is not parallel to the Earth's axis.
4.Elucidate Coriolis Effect and Ferrel's law.-Due to rotation, freely moving bodies on
the Earth's surface get deflected in their direction. The force responsible for this
deflection is known as Coriolis Force and the deflection in direction is called Coriolis
Effect. Admiral Ferrel discovered that due to the Coriolis Effect, ocean currents and
winds change their direction in the northern hemisphere to the right and in the
southern hemisphere to the left. This is known as Ferrel's law.
5.Explain Revolution -While rotating on its axis, the Earth revolves around the Sun in
a fixed orbit. This is known as Revolution. The time taken to complete one revolution
in the elliptical orbit is 365¼ days. 365 days is considered as one year for practical
convenience.
6.What do you mean by leap year-The fraction of 1⁄4 days is added once in 4 years to
the February making it 29 days. Thus the year which has 366 days is called a leap
year.
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7.What is Perihelion and Aphelion -The Earth's elliptical orbit causes varying
distances from the Sun. It is closest at 147 million km during Perihelion around
January 3, and farthest at 152 million km during Aphelion around July 4.
8.Elucidate Apparent Movement of the Sun-Since the tilt of the earth’s axis is
maintained at an angle of 23½0 throughout the revolution, the Sun’s apparent position
moves northward and southward between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of
Capricorn. This apparent shift in the Sun’s position is called the apparent movement
of the Sun. For this reason, the duration of day and night also changes.
Day Position of Sun Peculiarity of the day
21st March (Spring The sun’s rays fall vertically Equinoxes-The duration of
Equinox) on the equator day and night will be equal
on both hemispheres on
these days
21st June(Summer The Sun’s apparent on 21st June, the northern
solstice) position shifts towards hemisphere experiences the
north from the Equator to longest day and the
the Tropic of Cancer from shortest night
21st March to 21st June
23rd September (Autumnal The sun’s rays fall vertically Equinoxes-The duration of
Equinox) on the equator day and night will be equal
on both hemispheres on
these days
22 nd December(Winter Sun’s apparent position on 22 nd December, the
Solstice) shifts from the equator to southern hemisphere
the Tropic of Capricorn experiences the longest day
during the period from and the shortest night
23rd September to 22nd
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December.
9. Compare Uttarayanam and Dakshinayanam
Following the winter solstice (December 22) the apparent movement of the Sun from
Tropic of Capricorn (23½0 South) to Tropic of Cancer (23½0 North) is known as
the apparent movement of the Sun towards North (Uttarayanam). The shift in the
apparent position of the Sun after the Summer Solstice (June 21) from the Tropic of
Cancer (23½0 North) to Tropic of Capricorn (23½0 South) is known as the
apparent movement of the Sun towards South (Dakshinayanam).
10.Define Seasons and what are the reasons for Seasons-Due to the apparent shift in
the position of the Sun, different places experience specific weather patterns. These
patterns are known as seasons. The revolution of the Earth and variations in the
availability of solar energy is the reason for the occurrence of the seasons. The
occurrence of spring, summer, autumn and winter in a cyclical manner during a year
is called seasonal change.
11.Different seasons and their characteristics
Seasons Characteristics
Spring Plants bloom and produce fruits. During this
period duration of daytime gradually increases
Summer High atmospheric temperature .Generally longer
days
Autumn Trees shed their leaves before the arrival of
winter. During this period duration of daytime
gradually decreases
Winter Low atmospheric temperature. Snowfall
generally longer nights
12.CYCLIC NATURE OF SEASONS
Apparent movement Duration Northern Hemisphere Southern
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of the Sun
From the Equator to March 21 to June Spring Autumn
the Tropic of 21
Cancer
From the Tropic of June 21 to Summer Winter
Cancer to the September 23
Equator
From the Equator to September 23 to Autumn Spring
the Tropic of December 22
Capricorn
From the Tropic of December 22 to Winter Summer
Capricorn to the March 21
Equator
13.What is Local Time - When the sun is vertically overhead, it is noon. The time
estimated at each place, based on the overhead position of the sun is termed as the
local time. Thus the time calculated based on the length of the shadow and position of
the Sun is termed as the Local time.
14. Define Standard Time- The local time would be different at each longitude. It
would create a lot of confusion. To overcome this crisis, based on an international
understanding, countries have selected a longitude, which is a multiple of 7½ 0
longitude as Standard Meridian. The local time at this Standard Meridian is
considered as the standard time of the country.
15.Write a short note on Indian Standard Time- There is around 300 longitudinal
difference between India’s easternmost state of Arunachal Pradesh and the
westernmost state of Gujarat . So there is almost two hours of difference in the local
time of these places. To avoid the practical difficulty caused by this, a standard time
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has been fixed for the country.The 82 1⁄2° longitude is considered as standard meridian
of India.This is known as the Indian Standard Time (IST).
16.Elucidate Greenwich Mean Time-International time calculation, the longitude that
passes through the Royal British Observatory in England is taken as zero degree
meridian. This is called Prime Meridian. The local time at Prime Meridian is called
the Greenwich Mean Time. Travellers worldwide calculate time based on Greenwich
Time
17.What is Time Zones -Based on the Greenwich Meridian, the world is divided into
24 zones, each with a time difference of one hour. Each time zone has 15 0
longitudinal distance.Countries like Russia, the USA, and Australia with large
longitudinal extensions have many time zones and Standard Time.
18.What do you mean by International Date Line-1800 longitude is considered as the
International Date Line. The person travelling towards the east loses a day while
crossing this longitude and a person travelling towards the west gains a day Travellers
who move westwards crossing the line add a day and the travellers who move towards
the east calculate time by deducting a day. To avoid the situation of two different
dates in countries through which the International Date Line passes, certain
adjustments are made in this line. This line is arranged to avoid populated land areas
in the Pacific Ocean
Prepared by
VIMAL VINCENT V
HST, GHSS North Paravur
9847452945
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