Globe: Latitudes and Longitudes

Here are the notes from NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 2 – Globe: Latitudes and Longitudes:

A globe is a miniature model of Earth.
It is three-dimensional and helps us understand the shape, size, and location of continents and oceans.
The Earth rotates on its axis, and the globe represents this with a fixed axis.

Latitudes are imaginary horizontal lines running from east to west.
Important Latitudes:
1. Equator (0°) – Divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
2. Tropic of Cancer (23½° N) – Northern Hemisphere.
3. Tropic of Capricorn (23½° S) – Southern Hemisphere.
4. Arctic Circle (66½° N) – Near the North Pole.
5. Antarctic Circle (66½° S) – Near the South Pole.
6. North Pole (90° N) & South Pole (90° S) – Extreme points.
Latitudes affect climate:
- Areas near the Equator are hotter.
- Areas near the poles are colder.

The Earth is divided into three heat zones:
1. Torrid Zone (Between Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn) – Hottest region.
2. Temperate Zone (Between Tropic of Cancer & Arctic Circle in the north, and Tropic of Capricorn & Antarctic Circle in the south) – Moderate climate.
3. Frigid Zone (Between Arctic Circle & North Pole, and Antarctic Circle & South Pole) – Coldest regions.

Longitudes are imaginary vertical lines running from north to south.
Prime Meridian (0°) passes through Greenwich, England and divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Total longitudes: 360 (180° east and 180° west).
International Date Line (IDL): Located at 180° longitude, where the date changes by one day when crossed.
The distance between the longitudes decreases towards Poles.

Longitude determines time zones.
Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, so:
- 1 hour = 15° longitude.
- 4 minutes = 1° longitude.