class 5 chapter 2

Class 5

Chapter 2

Parallels and Meridians

Question Answers

QD. Write Short notes on the following:-

1.     Globe: Globe is a small model of the earth.

We can see countries and places marked on it.

To locate a place we use a system of imaginary lines.

It tells us about the movements of the earth.

We can easily understand the concept of day and night and change of seasons by using globe.

2.     Northern Hemisphere: The part of the earth from equator to the North Pole is called Northern Hemisphere.

3.     Southern Hemisphere: The part of the earth from equator to the South Pole is called Southern Hemisphere.

4.     Prime Meridian: It runs from North Pole to South Pole.

It passes through Greenwich.

It is also called Greenwich Meridian.

It is the starting point for the meridians.

It is marked as 0^o.

It divides the earth into two halves, Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere.

QE. Answer the Following Questions:

1.      Define (a) Latitudes and (b) Longitudes.

Ans:

(a)    Latitudes: The full circle that run from the east to west are called Parallels or lines of latitudes.

There are 181 lines of latitudes.

The equator is the most important latitude and is also called great circle.

The equator divides the earth into two halves Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.

All the parallels are full circles and at equal distance i.e. at 1⁰ interval.

(b)   Longitudes: These are called meridians or lines of longitudes.

These lines run from north to south.

These lines cut the parallels 90^0.

These lines do not run parallel to each other.

Maximum distance between the two meridians are at the equator.

All the meridians are at the interval of 1⁰.

There are total 360 meridians.

Prime meridian is the starting point for numbering the meridians.

It divides the earth into two halves Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere.

Q2. Draw a diagram and label to show the important parallels of latitudes.

     Ans: Equator at 0^0.

             North Pole at 9⁰N.

            South Pole at 90 S

            Tropic of Cancer at 23 ½⁰ N.

            Tropic of Capricorn at 23 ½⁰. S

            Arctic Circle at 66 ½⁰ N.

            Antarctic Circle at 66 ½⁰ S.

Q3. Write four facts about lines of Longitudes.

   Ans: There are total 360 lines of longitudes.

These lines runs from North to South.

These are not parallel to each other.

The meridians of 180⁰ E and 180⁰ W form the same line is known as International Date Line.

Q4. What is a grid? How does it help us to find the position of a place?

Ans: The lines of longitudes and latitudes form a network on a globe. It is called grid.

We can locate a place at the point at which a latitude and longitude meet.

QF. Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

Q. Why is the equator the most important of all the latitudes? Why is it called the ‘Great Circle’?

Ans: Equator is at 0⁰ and other parallels are marked from 0⁰ to 90⁰. It is in the midway of North and South pole. It divides the earth into two halves Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. Thus there are 90 parallels in northern Hemisphere and 90 in the Southern Hemisphere.

The equator makes the biggest circle, so it is also called the Great Circle.

QF. A globe shows several countries marked on it. What would happen if everyone on the earth lived as one big family? Would it have been better? Why/ why not?

Ans: If every one lived as a big family there would be no need to mark countries and other places. Thus it would be much better. There would be no boundaries. There would be brotherhood in the whole world.