Class 5 SST Latitudes and Longitudes Notes and MCQ


Introduction

  • Earlier, people thought the Earth was flat because they could only see a small part of it.
  • Ferdinand Magellan proved that the Earth is round by circumnavigating it.
  • Astronauts’ photographs from space also confirm that the Earth is round.
  • The Earth is divided into two equal halves by an imaginary line called the Equator.

 

Axis and Poles

  • The Earth rotates on an imaginary line called the axis.
  • The two end points of the axis are called poles.
    • Top point → North Pole
    • Bottom point → South Pole

 

Hemispheres

  • The Earth is divided into two hemispheres:
    • Northern Hemisphere → North of the Equator
    • Southern Hemisphere → South of the Equator

 

Latitudes

  • Imaginary circles drawn parallel to the Equator are called latitudes.
  • The Equator is the latitude passing through the center of the Earth.
  • Latitudes are measured in degrees north or south of the Equator.

Number of Latitudes

  • 90 latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere
  • 90 latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere
  • Total latitudes including the Equator = 181

 

Important Characteristics of Latitudes

  • All latitudes are complete circles except at the poles.
  • Length of latitudes decreases from the Equator towards the poles.
  • All latitudes are equally distant from one another.
  • Latitudes never touch or cross each other.
  • They are also called parallels.
  • Latitudes measure distances in the north–south direction.

 

Important Latitudes

Latitude

Degree

Equator

0°

Tropic of Cancer

23½° N

Tropic of Capricorn

23½° S

Arctic Circle

66½° N

Antarctic Circle

66½° S

 

Longitudes

  • Imaginary lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole are called longitudes or meridians.
  • The longitude passing through Greenwich in England is called the Prime Meridian.
  • Prime Meridian = 0° longitude

Number of Longitudes

  • 180° East longitudes
  • 180° West longitudes
  • Total = 360 longitudes

 

Important Characteristics of Longitudes

  • All longitudes are of equal length.
  • They meet at the poles.
  • Opposite longitudes form great circles.
  • Distance between longitudes is maximum at the Equator and decreases towards the poles.
  • East longitudes are marked with E.
  • West longitudes are marked with W.
  • Longitudes intersect latitudes at right angles (90°).
  • Longitudes help measure east–west distance.

 

Earth Grid

  • The network formed by intersecting latitudes and longitudes is called the Earth Grid.
  • The meeting point of a latitude and longitude is called a coordinate.
  • Earth grid helps locate places accurately on maps and globes.

 

Locating Places

  • A place can be located using:
    • Latitude
    • Longitude
  • Example:
    • Delhi is located at:
      • 28° 61' N latitude
      • 77° 23' E longitude

 

Longitude and Time

  • The Earth rotates from west to east.
  • Earth takes:
    • 24 hours to rotate 360°
    • 1 hour for 15°
    • 4 minutes for 1°
  • Therefore, local time changes by 4 minutes for every 1° longitude.

 

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

  • Time at the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) is called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
  • GMT is used as the reference for calculating world time.

 

Local Standard Time

  • Different longitudes have different local times.
  • To avoid confusion, countries choose one standard longitude for the whole country.
  • The time of that longitude becomes the Standard Time.

 

Indian Standard Time (IST)

  • India uses 82½° E longitude as its standard meridian.
  • Indian Standard Time is called IST.
  • IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT.

 

Time Zones

  • Earth is divided into 24 time zones.
  • Each time zone differs by 1 hour.
  • Large countries like the USA, Russia, and Canada have multiple time zones.

 

International Date Line (IDL)

  • The International Date Line lies near 180° longitude.
  • Crossing the line:
    • West to East → one day is lost
    • East to West → one day is gained
  • It helps maintain correct dates around the world.

 

MCQs on Latitudes and Longitudes

 

1. What is the imaginary line passing through the center of the Earth called?

A) Tropic of Cancer
B) Equator
C) Prime Meridian
D) Axis

Answer: B) Equator

 

2. The Earth rotates on its:

A) Orbit
B) Hemisphere
C) Axis
D) Latitude

Answer: C) Axis

 

3. The top point of the Earth’s axis is called:

A) South Pole
B) Equator
C) North Pole
D) Prime Meridian

Answer: C) North Pole

 

4. Imaginary circles drawn parallel to the Equator are called:

A) Longitudes
B) Hemispheres
C) Meridians
D) Latitudes

Answer: D) Latitudes

 

5. The Equator is located at:

A) 90°
B) 180°
C) 0°
D) 23½°

Answer: C) 0°

 

6. Lines of latitude never:

A) Meet
B) Cross each other
C) Form circles
D) Decrease in size

Answer: B) Cross each other

 

7. Which latitude passes almost through the middle of India?

A) Arctic Circle
B) Equator
C) Tropic of Cancer
D) Tropic of Capricorn

Answer: C) Tropic of Cancer

 

8. The Tropic of Capricorn is located at:

A) 23½° N
B) 66½° N
C) 23½° S
D) 66½° S

Answer: C) 23½° S

 

9. Longitudes are also known as:

A) Parallels
B) Meridians
C) Coordinates
D) Hemispheres

Answer: B) Meridians

 

10. The Prime Meridian passes through:

A) India
B) Australia
C) England
D) Russia

Answer: C) England

 

11. The Prime Meridian is marked as:

A) 90°
B) 180°
C) 23½°
D) 0°

Answer: D) 0°

 

12. Total number of longitudes is:

A) 90
B) 180
C) 360
D) 181

Answer: C) 360

 

13. Longitudes meet at the:

A) Equator
B) Tropics
C) Poles
D) Hemisphere

Answer: C) Poles

 

14. The Earth takes ______ hours to complete one rotation.

A) 12
B) 24
C) 36
D) 48

Answer: B) 24

 

15. The Earth rotates from:

A) North to South
B) South to North
C) East to West
D) West to East

Answer: D) West to East

 

16. Time difference for every 1° longitude is:

A) 1 minute
B) 2 minutes
C) 4 minutes
D) 10 minutes

Answer: C) 4 minutes

 

17. GMT stands for:

A) Global Mean Time
B) Greenwich Mean Time
C) General Mean Time
D) Great Mean Time

Answer: B) Greenwich Mean Time

 

18. India’s standard meridian is:

A) 0°
B) 66½° E
C) 82½° E
D) 23½° E

Answer: C) 82½° E

 

19. Indian Standard Time is ahead of GMT by:

A) 2 hours
B) 4 hours
C) 5 hours
D) 5 hours 30 minutes

Answer: D) 5 hours 30 minutes

 

20. The Earth is divided into ______ time zones.

A) 12
B) 18
C) 24
D) 48

Answer: C) 24

 

21. The International Date Line lies near:

A) 0° longitude
B) 90° longitude
C) 180° longitude
D) 360° longitude

Answer: C) 180° longitude

 

22. Crossing the International Date Line from east to west results in:

A) Losing one day
B) Gaining one day
C) No change
D) Losing one hour

Answer: B) Gaining one day

 

23. The network formed by latitudes and longitudes is called:

A) Hemisphere
B) Earth Grid
C) Time Zone
D) Equator

Answer: B) Earth Grid

 

24. Latitudes are measured:

A) East and West
B) North and South of Equator
C) Around poles
D) In hours

Answer: B) North and South of Equator

 

25. Which of the following is NOT a latitude?

A) Arctic Circle
B) Tropic of Cancer
C) Prime Meridian
D) Antarctic Circle

Answer: C) Prime Meridian