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Subject: Geography
Geographic Grid – Latitudes and Longitudes
Std. IX
Give reasons:-
1. Lines of latitude carve out the heat zones of the Earth because
temperature varies with latitudes. Due to the spherical shape of the Earth
and its rotation and revolution on the tilted axis, the angle of incidence of
sunrays varies with latitudes, so the amount of heat received is different
at different latitudes.
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2. Lines of longitude are also called Meridians of longitude because all
places along the same line of longitude experience noon or mid-day at the
same time.
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3. Diametrically opposite lines of longitude and the Equator are called Great
Circles because their centres coincide with the centre of the sphere (the
Earth) and divide the Earth into two equal halves.
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4. The Greenwich time is called the Greenwich Mean Time because the
time is calculated based on the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory
in Greenwich, London.
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5. IDL deviates and goes zig-zag near some Islands in the Pacific Ocean
because it is possible to keep all the lands under one administration on
one side of the Date Line to have the same date.
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6. Lines of latitude are called the Parallels of latitude because they are
parallel to the Equator, parallel to each other and are equidistant.
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7. Latitudes and longitudes are expressed in angles because latitudes and
longitudes are angular distances measured with reference to the Equator
and Prime Meridian respectively. To avoid confusion, a uniform unit is
adopted by all countries.
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8. Among the parallels, the Equator is the only great circle because the
Equator divides the Earth into two hemispheres and the centre of the
Equator coincides with the centre of the Earth.
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9. Local time differs from place to place because of the rotation of the Earth
on its axis from west to east. For every10 longitudinal variation, local
time varies by 4 minutes.
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the two poles. So, they are far apart at the Equator and the
distance decreases towards the poles.
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6. Why is standard time considered necessary?
Ans.- Local time varies at the rate of 4 minutes for every 10
longitudinal variation. The countries having a large number of
longitudinal7 extension experience different local times, which
may cause confusion. To avoid such confusion, a uniform time
is accepted by the whole country based on the Standard
Meridian.
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