Draw a diagram of the globe showing- 1)The earth’s axis, 2) The Equator, 3) Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, 4) Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle.
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
GLOBE : LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES
2
In the previous chapter, you have read that our planet
earth is not a sphere. It is slightly flattened at the
North and the South Poles and bulge in the middle.
Can you imagine how it looks? You may look at a
globe carefully in your classroom to get an idea.
Globe is a true model (miniature form) of the earth
(Figure 2.1).
Globes may be of varying size and type – big ones,
which cannot be carried easily, small pocket globes,
and globe-like balloons, which can be inflated and are
handy and carried with ease. The globe is not fixed. It
can be rotated the same way as a top spin or a potter’s
wheel is rotated. On the globe, countries, continents
and oceans are shown in their correct size.
It is difficult to describe the location of a point on a
sphere like the earth. Now the question arises as to
how to locate a place on it? We need certain points of
reference and lines to find out the location of places.
You will notice that 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. The globe
can be moved around this needle from west to east
just as the earth moves. But, remember there is a major
difference. The real earth has no such needle. It moves
around its axis, which is an imaginary line.
Another 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
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GLOBE : LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES 11
Figure 2.2 : Latitude
Figure 2.3 : Important Latitudes and Heat Zones
Do you know?
By measuring
the angle of the
Pole Star from
your place, you can know
the latitude of your place.
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. Since the distance from the
equator to either of the poles is one-fourth
of a circle round the earth, it will measure
¼th of 360 degrees, i.e. 90°. Thus, 90
degrees north latitude marks the North
Pole and 90 degrees south latitude marks
the South Pole.
As such, all parallels north of the
equator are called ‘north latitudes.’
Similarly all parallels south of the equator are called
‘south latitudes.’
The value of each latitude is, therefore, followed by
either the word north or south. Generally, this is
indicated by the letter ‘N’ or ‘S’. For example, both
Chandrapur in Maharashtra (India) and Belo
Horizonte in Brazil (South America) are located on
parallels of about 20° latitude. But the former is 20°
north of the equator and the latter is 20° south of it.
We, therefore, say that Chandrapur is
situated at 20° N latitude and Belo
Horizonte is situated at 20° S latitude.
We see in Figure 2.2 that as we move
away from the equator, the size of the
parallels of latitude decreases.
IMPORTANT PARALLELS OF LATITUDES
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 (23½° N) in the
Northern Hemisphere. (ii) Tropic of
Capricorn (23½° S) in the Southern
Hemisphere. (iii) Arctic Circle at 66½°
north of the equator. (iv) Antarctic
Circle at 66½° south of the equator.
