CLASSWORK

CHAPTER: LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES

1. Define the following:

Latitudes - The imaginary lines drawn parallel to each other

on the earth surface running from east to west are called
latitudes. Latitudes that are close to the equator are larger
circles while those that are far away from the equator are
smaller circles.

Longitudes - The imaginary lines that are drawn on the

earth surface from one pole to the other are called
longitudes. Each longitude starts at the North Pole and ends
at the South Pole, so each longitude is a semicircle.

2. Why are lines of latitude also called parallels of latitude?

Ans - All lines of latitude are full circles and run parallel to
the Equator, so the lines of latitude are also known as
parallels of latitudes.

3. Why lines of longitudes are also called meridians of

longitude?
Ans – Meridian comes from a Latin word that means
midday.As the Earth rotates on its axis and due to its
rotation all the places which are along the same longitude
will have the same time of day. This means that they will all
experience midday or noon at the same time. Thus the lines
of longitude are also called meridians of longitude.

4. Name the important latitudes and longitudes.

Ans - The important latitudes are -

i) Equator - 0°
ii) Tropic of Cancer -231/2°N
iii) Tropic of Capricorn – 231/2°S
iv) Arctic Circle – 661/2°N
v) Antarctic Circle – 661/2°S
vi)North Pole - 90°N
vii) South Pole - 90°S
The important longitudes are -
i) Prime Meridian - 0°
ii)180° Meridian.

5. Write the difference between latitudes and longitudes.

Ans - The difference between latitudes and longitudes are:

 Latitudes
1.Latitudes of full circles.
2.Latitudes are circles of
different sizes. The equator
is the biggest circle and
latitudes near the poles are
the smallest circles. Each
Pole is a dot.
3. Latitudes are parallel to
each other, so they never
meet.
4. The equator is numbered
as 0°. The other latitudes
are numbered from 1° to 90°
N or S depending on which
hemisphere they are in.
longitudes
1. Longitudes are semicircles
2. Longitudes are of the
same size. They go from one
pole to the other.
3.Longitudes meet at the
poles. They are widest apart
at the equator.
4. The prime Meridian is
numbered as 0°. The other
latitudes are numbered
from 1° onwards with E or
W added to the number
depending on whether they
are east or west of the
Prime Meridian. The
Meridian on the opposite
side of the Prime Meridian
where longitude from east
and west meet is numbered
as 180° and is called the
180th Meridian.
5.They help us to 5. They help us to calculate
understand the temperature the time of any place.
of any place.

6. Draw a neat labelled diagram to show:

a.The lines of latitude
b.The special latitudes
c. The lines of longitudes