latitude and longitude

Latitudes:

The Equator is an imaginary circular line which divides the earth in to two equal parts,the Northern Hemisphere and the souther half is known as the southern hemisphere the pole which points towards the pole star is called the North pole the opposite pole is called the south pole.Lines of latitude are imaginary lines.The equator represents 0 ° latitude. The North pole is located at an angular distance of 90 & deg north of the equator.The latitude of the North pole is 90& deg N.The latitude of the south pole is 90 ° S.The equator is the longest line of latitude.The length of the equator is equal to the cirucmference of the earth.The length of lines of latitude decreases gradually with distance from the equator.Latitudes are prallel to one another they are called parallels of latitude or Parallels.Tropic of cancer is a line of latitude located at an andular distance of 23 1/2 ° N of the equator.The zone between the tropic of cancer and the tropic of capricon is called the torrid zone or Tropical Zone.The Sun' rays are vertical atleast on One day during the year.This zone receives maximum solar energy from the sun. The latitude is the angukar distance of a place on the earth's surface north or south of the equator measured as an angle whose apex is at the centre of the earth. The 66 1/2 °N latitude is known as arctic circle. The 66 1/2 °S latitude is known as Antarctic Circle.North Temperate zone lies between arctic circle(66 1/2 °N) and Tropic of cancer(23 1/2 °N).

Longitude:-

The circle drawn across the globe passing through poles intersecting the equator are called circles of longitudes.Longitudes are also known as meridians.The longitude that passes through Greenwich in Londen is taken as Zero degree longitude.This is called Greenwich longitude it is also known as "Prime Meridian".The prime meridian divides the earth into the eastern hemisphere and the western hemisphere.The area between Greenwich longitude and 180° east longitude is known as Eastern Hemisphere and that which lies between Greenwich and 180° west longitude is known as "western Hemisphere".

It is easy to locate any place over the earth with the help of latitudes and longitudes.While rotating across it own axis it takes four minutes for earth to cross a distance of One degree intervel.So differences in time in different places of the earth can be noticed with the help of longitude.