Page 105 - SST Class 06

as they move towards the poles. So, the latitude
area; while the sunrays fall slanting at the poles,
made at the North Pole or the South Pole is the so it is very cold at the poles. In order to
smallest and is represented by a mere point. understand the temperature of the Earth, we can
divide the Earth into three zones :
Info Bits
Info Bits
The Hot or the Torrid Zone : This area lies
between the Tropic
The latitudes are drawn from east to west. North Pole
of Cancer and the Arctic Circle N E
IGID Z O
NORTH F R
As the latitudes are drawn parallel to each other, Tropic of Capricorn.
they are called the parallels of latitude. A latitude The sunrays fall NORTH TEMPERATE ZONE ic f o C a n c r e
p
o r T
shows the angular distance from the Equator. vertically on the AXIS OF THE EARTH Equator
The Equator is marked 0° and the two poles are latitudes in this zone TORRID ZONE
marked 90°. One latitude is drawn at every at least once in a T o r p c i of Capricom
degree, so it means that there are 90 latitudes in year. It receives the SOUTH TEMPERATE ZONE
each of the Northern Hemisphere and the maximum heat. This Antarctic Circle S O U T H F RIG I D ZONE
Southern Hemisphere. In order to distinguish is the reason that it is South Pole
between the latitudes in the two hemispheres, the the hottest area. Heat zones of the Earth
latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere are marked Moderate or the Temperate Zone : This area lies
N (north) and those of the Southern Hemisphere between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic
are marked S (south). Thus, the North Pole is Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and between
marked 90°N and the South Pole is marked 90°S. the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle in
the Southern Hemisphere. This area receives
Important Latitudes
slanting sunrays, due to which it is neither very
Equator : The Equator is the most important hot nor very cold.
latitude. It is the longest latitude and divides the
Earth into two halves. It is marked 0°. The Cold or the Frigid Zone : This area lies
between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole in
Tropic of Cancer : It is located at an angular
the Northern Hemisphere and between the
distance of 23½°N in the Northern Hemisphere. Antarctic Circle and the South Pole in the
The Sun is right over this latitude on 21 June. Southern Hemisphere. The sunrays are very
Tropic of Capricorn : It is located at an angular slanting in this zone, due to which it is the coldest
distance of 23½°S in the Southern Hemisphere. part of the Earth.
The Sun is right over this latitude on 22 Quiz Time
December.
Fill in the blanks :
Arctic Circle : It is located at an angular distance
1. The Equator is marked _________ and two poles
of 66½°N in the Northern Hemisphere.
are marked _________ .
Antarctic Circle : It is located at an angular
distance of 66½°S in the Southern Hemisphere. 2. The horizontal lines are called the _________ .
3. Arctic Circle is located at an angular distance of
Info Bits
Info Bits _________ in the _________ Hemisphere.
4. The Sunrays are very _________ in the Frigid
Which latitude passes through India? Zone.
5. A latitude shows the _________ distance from
HEAT ZONES
the _________ .
The latitudes are important as they indicate the
6. _________ zone lies between the Tropic of
temperature of a place. As the sunrays fall directly
cancer and the Antarctic Circle.
over the area around the Equator, it is the hottest
Globe : The Model of the Earth
105