NCERT 6th Class (CBSE) Social Science: Globe: Latitudes and Longitudes

Question: What are the main characteristics of the parallels?

Answer: Main characteristics of Parallels:

1. All parallels are complete circles except 90° N and 90° S, which are points.
2. The equator is the largest parallel. The length of the other parallels decrease as one moves away from the equator towards the poles.
3. All parallels are located at an equal distance from each other.
4. The distance between any two parallels, at an interval of one degree, on the surface of earth is about 111 km.
5. The equator is the only great circle while the other parallels are all small circles.

Question: What are the main characteristics of the meridian?

Answer: Main characteristics of meridians:

1. The length of all the meridians is the same as each one is a semi-circle.
2. Any two opposite meridians, when taken together, form a complete circle form a great circle.
3. The maximum distance between any two meridians is at the equator, which is 111 km for one degree of longitude.
4. The distance between any two meridian decreases as we go away from the equator towards the poles. All the meridians meet at the poles.
5. East of the Prime Meridian up to 180° E is the Eastern Hemisphere west of the Prime Meridian up to 180° W is the Western Hemisphere.

Question: How is the axis of the earth useful in locating places on the globe?

Answer: The axis of the earth help to locate the north pole, the south pole and the equator. Thus it is useful in locating places in the north-south region on the glob.

Question: What is the relationship between longitude and time? Give examples.

Answer:

1. There is a direct relationship between the longitude of a place and the time at the place.
2. As the earth rotates, every meridian on the earth faces the sun once a day.
3. This is the time when the sun reaches the nighest point in the sky.
4. The earth rotates from west to east.
5. The places which are situated towards the east of the Prime Meridian will have sunrise earlier than those which are situated towards the west.
6. Fore Eg- That Tokyo experiences sunrise before London and experiences sunrise before New York.