Longitudes in Geography

Questions and Answers

What divides the earth into two equal halves?

The International Date Line and the Greenwich Meridian

The Equator and the Tropic of Cancer

The Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle

The Prime Meridian and the 180° meridian (correct)

What is the longitude of a place followed by?

The letter E for the east and W for the west (correct)

The number of the latitude

The letter N for the north and S for the south

The name of the country

What is the location of 180° East and 180° West meridians?

On the same line (correct)

At the North Pole

At the South Pole

On two different lines

What is needed to locate a point on the globe?

Both latitude and longitude Signup and view all the answers

What is represented by the vertical lines in Figure 2.7?

East Longitudes Signup and view all the answers

What is the best means of measuring time?

By the movement of the earth, the moon and the planets Signup and view all the answers

How can local time be reckoned?

By the shadow cast by the sun Signup and view all the answers

What is the location of Dhubri in Assam in terms of latitude and longitude?

26° N latitude and 90° E longitude Signup and view all the answers

What is the value of the prime meridian?

0° Signup and view all the answers

Where is the frigid zone located?

The Poles Signup and view all the answers

How many longitudes are there in total?

360 Signup and view all the answers

In which hemisphere is the Antarctic Circle located?

The Southern hemisphere Signup and view all the answers

What is a grid in the context of geography?

A network of parallels of latitudes and meridians of longitudes Signup and view all the answers

At which degree is the Tropic of Capricorn located?

23½° S Signup and view all the answers

What is the Standard Meridian of India?

77° E Signup and view all the answers

Towards which direction do the distances between longitudes decrease?

Towards the Poles Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of meridians of longitude?

To locate places precisely on the Earth's surface Signup and view all the answers

What is the unit of measurement for distances between meridians?

Degrees of longitude Signup and view all the answers

Why was it difficult to number the meridians?

Because they are of different lengths Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the meridian that passes through Greenwich?

Prime Meridian Signup and view all the answers

What is the value of the Prime Meridian?

0° longitude Signup and view all the answers

What divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?

The Prime Meridian Signup and view all the answers

What is the shape of meridians?

Semi-circles Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the distance between meridians as you move polewards?

It decreases steadily Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Measuring Location on the Earth

To locate a place precisely, we need to find out how far east or west it is from a line of reference running from the North Pole to the South Pole.
These lines of reference are called meridians of longitude, and the distances between them are measured in degrees of longitude.

Meridians of Longitude

Each degree of longitude is further divided into minutes and seconds.
Meridians are semi-circles that meet at the poles, where the distance between them decreases to zero.
All meridians are of equal length, unlike parallels of latitude.

Prime Meridian

The Prime Meridian is the meridian that passes through Greenwich, where the British Royal Observatory is located.
Its value is 0° longitude, and countries decided to start counting from this meridian.
The Prime Meridian divides the earth into two equal halves, the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere.

Longitude and Hemisphere

The longitude of a place is followed by the letter E for east and W for west.
180° East and 180° West meridians are on the same line.
The Prime Meridian and 180° meridian divide the earth into two equal halves.

Grid of Parallels and Meridians

The grid of parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude helps locate a point on the globe if we know its latitude and longitude.
For example, Dhubri in Assam is situated at 26° N latitude and 90° E longitude.

Understanding Latitude and Longitude

Drawing equidistant vertical and horizontal lines on a paper helps understand the concept of latitude and longitude.
Vertical lines represent East Longitudes, and horizontal lines represent North Latitudes.
Where these lines intersect, we can locate a point on the globe.

Time and Longitude

The movement of the earth, moon, and planets helps measure time.
Local time can be reckoned by the shadow cast by the sun, which is shortest at noon and longest at sunrise and sunset.