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Geography > Earth's Grid > Flashcards

Earth's Grid Flashcards

1
Q

Who was the first to realise that any place on earth could be located with a basic grid of lines?

A

Eratosthenes

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2
Q

What is a geographical grid?

A

A geographical grid is a network of latitudes and longitudes drawn on a map or a globe.

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3
Q

What is the use of a geographical grid?

A

A geographical grid is used for locating places on a map or a globe

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4
Q

The spinning of the Earth on it’s own axis provides two naturally fixed points namely:

A

The North Pole and South Pole

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5
Q

_______________ are imaginary reference lines adopted on a uniform basis by all countries of the world.

A

A series of North-South and east-west lines on a globe (called parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude)

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6
Q

What are the north-south lines known as?

A

Meridians of longitude

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7
Q

What are the east-west lines known as?

A

Parallels of latitude

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8
Q

All meridians and all parallels of latitudes are great circles. True or False? If false, rewrite correct statement.

A

False.
All meridians of longitudes are halves of great circles, only one parallel of latitude (the equator) is a great circle.

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9
Q

Meridians of longitudes and parallels of latitude are normal to each other. True or False? If false, rewrite.

A

True

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10
Q

Define Relative location.

A

Relative location specifies a particular position or place relating it to another known position or place.

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11
Q

Absolute Location definition

A

Absolute location indicates position based on the coordinates of a grid system such as latitudes and longitudes

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12
Q

Define latitude

A

Latitude is the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator.

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13
Q

What is a line of latitude

A

A line of latitude is an imaginary line connecting all places having the same angular distance north or south of the equator.

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14
Q

How many parallels of latitude exist?

A

180 + equator (total 181)

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15
Q

GR: All lines of latitude are not drawn on a globe

A

If all the parallels of latitude are drawn on the map or globe then it will appear very crowded and complicated.

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16
Q

State the properties/characteristics of latitudes.

A
  • There are 180 parallels of latitude
  • Each parallel of latitude is a circle
  • All parallels of latitudes are not of equal length.
  • The size of the circles decreases towards the poles.
  • The North and south poles serve as basic frames of reference
  • Distance from Equator to the Poles is a quarter of a circle (90 degrees)
  • Distance between any two parallels of latitude is equal
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17
Q

Name the important lines of latitudes

A
  • Equator
  • Tropic of Cancer
  • Tropic of Capricon
  • Arctic Circle
  • Antarctic Circle
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18
Q

Location of the equator

A

The equator at 0 degrees is halfway between the North and South Poles, and divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

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19
Q

Define Equator

A

Equator is an imaginary line around the middle of the earth.

20
Q

What is equatorial bulge?

A

An equatorial bulge is a difference between the equatorial and polar diameters of a planet due to the centrifugal force exerted by the rotation of the Earth.

21
Q

Define a great circle

A

A great circle is the largest possible circle that can be drawn on the surface of a sphere.

22
Q

Define Tropic of Cancer

A

Tropic of Cancer is the most northerly circle of latitude on Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead.

23
Q

Define Tropic of Capricon

A

The Tropic of Capricon is the most southerly circle of latitude at which the Sun can be directly overhead.

24
Q

GR: Sea levels are slightly higher in the equatorial region than near the poles.

A

A difference is created between the polar and the equatorial diameters due to the centrifugal forces exerted by the rotation of the Earth. This difference causes the equator to bulge. This phenomena is known as equatorial bulge. Due to equatorial bulge, the Sea levels at the equators are higher than those at the poles.

25
Q

State the location of the polar latitudes

A

The polar latitudes surround the geographical poles.

26
Q

State the location of the arctic circle.

A

The arctic circle is at 66 and 1/2 degrees north of the equator and rests on the Arctic ocean.

27
Q

GR: The position of the Arctic circle is not fixed.

A

The position the of arctic circle is not fixed as it depends on the axial tilt of the earth. The axial tilt of the earth fluctuates within a margin of 2 degrees over a 41,000 year period due to tidal forces resulting from the Moon’s orbit.

28
Q

Location of the Antarctic circle

A

The Antarctic circle is at 66 and 1/2 degrees south of the equator and rests on the continent of Antarctica.

29
Q

Define Zenith Distance

A

Zenith Distance is the angle which the sun makes at noon with the Zenith.

30
Q

Define Zenith

A

Zenith is the point in the sky which is vertically above the observer.

31
Q

Define Declination of the Sun

A

The declination of the sun is the angle the ray of the sun makes with the equatorial plane when extended to the center of the Earth.

32
Q

Justify: The Spherical Shape of the Earth causes different parts of the Earth to be heated to different degrees.

A
  • The region near the equator gets more direct rays of the sun. Since the Rays are concentrated over a smaller area, they heat up the Earth to a larger extent.
  • As we go away from the equator, due to the curvature of earth, the Sun’s rays strike the Earth’s Surface at an angle. Thus, the heat is spread over a larger area and the surface gets less heat.
  • Thus Changes in the angle of Sun’s rays due to the curvature of the Earth causes variation in the insolation received.
33
Q

Name the Three main Heat Zones

A

The Three main heat Zones are:
* Torrid Zone
* Temperate Zone
* Frigid Zone

34
Q

What is the importance of latitudes?

A
  • Latitude is related to temperature . Hence, the latitude of a place tells us about the climate of the place in general terms and the related factors.
    *Along with longitude, it helps in finding the absolute location of a place.
35
Q

Define a longitude

A

A longitude is the angular distance of a place east or west of the Prime Meridian.

36
Q

Define a line of Longitude

A

A line of longitude is an imaginary line which joins all places having the same angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. It is measured in degrees.

37
Q

State the properties of the meridians of longitude.

A
  • Each meridian measures one arc degree of longitude
  • The longitude which passes through greenwich, near London is called the prime meridian.
  • There are 360 Meridians of Longitude
  • Prime Meridian is a longitude of zero degrees.
  • The same line of longitude is numbered 180 degree east and 180 degree west. This longitude coincides with the IDL.
  • All places along the same longitude have midday at the same time.
  • All longitudes converge at equator.
  • Distance between any two meridians at the equator is 111km
38
Q

Define Local Time

A

Local time is the time of the place reckoned by the midday sun.

39
Q

Define Standard Time

A

When the local time of a central place is taken as the time for the whole country/area, it is known as standard time.

40
Q

There are about ______ meridians of longitude cutting through India.

A

30

41
Q

Standard Meridian of Indian

A

82.5 degrees E passing through Allahabad

42
Q

Define Time Zone

A

Time zone is an area in the world where clocks record the same time.

43
Q

Non Standard or Irregular Time Zones

A

Not in the form UTC - n where n is an integer.

44
Q

Define IDL

A

The international Date Line functions as a line of demarcation separating two consecutive calendar dates.

45
Q

GR: IDL is not a straight line.

A

In order to not cause diff. of dates in same country.

46
Q

Properties of Great Circles:

A
  • Infinite of them can be drawn on a sphere
  • Divide into halves
  • Only one can pass through two give points except when they’re opp to each other
  • arc of great circle is Shortest distance b/w two points on sphere.
47
Q

Use of Great Circle.

A

It is economical to follow the arc of a great circle since the arc of a great circle is the shortest distance between any two points.

Geography (8 decks)

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