Chapter 3 – Determination of location of a place on the earth surface

Determination of location of a place on the Earth surface is an important chapter in WBBSE Class 9 Geography. Here, you will find Determination of location of a place on the Earth surface questions and answers arranged clearly to help you revise quickly and prepare better for your exams.

Content Structure

1. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)
2. Very short-type questions and answers
- 2A. Fill in the blanks
- 2B. True or false
- 2C. Match the following
- 2D. Single word questions and answers
3. Short-type questions and answers
4. Long-type questions and answers

1. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)

1. The highest value of latitude can be
(a) 180°
(b) 100°
(c) 175°
(d) 90°

Ans: (d) 90°

2. The angular measurement of the Arctic Circle is
(a) 60° S
(b) 66½° S
(c) 66½° N
(d) 60° N

Ans: (c) 60° S

3. The angle of elevation of the Pole Star at the North Pole is
(a) 60°
(b) 180°
(c) 90°
(d) 0°

Ans: (c) 90°

4. The difference in local time between Kolkata and Allahabad is
(a) 22 minutes
(b) 20 minutes
(c) 26 minutes
(d) 24 minutes

Ans: (a) 22 minutes

5. The highest value of longitude can be
(a) 360°
(b) 180°
(c) 100°
(d) 90°

Ans: (b) 180°

6. The parallel that runs almost through the middle of West Bengal is the
(a) Tropic of Cancer
(b) Arctic Circle
(c) Tropic of Capricorn
(d) Equator

Ans: (a) Tropic of Cancer

7. The first person to use latitude and longitude to determine the location of a place was
(a) Aristotle
(b) Plato
(c) Eratosthenes
(d) Ptolemy

Ans: (d) Ptolemy

8. The angular value of the Prime Meridian is
(a) 0°
(b) 23½°
(c) 66½°
(d) 90°

Ans: (a) 0°

9. The number of time zones in the USA is
(a) 10
(b) 15
(c) 9
(d) 11

Ans: (d) 11

10. The most important line joining the North Pole and the South Pole is the
(a) Equator
(b) Prime Meridian
(c) Tropic of Cancer
(d) Polar Circle

Ans: (b) Prime Meridian

11. The angular distance of a place north or south of the equator is known as
(a) Latitude
(b) Location
(c) Antipode
(d) Longitude

Ans: (a) Latitude

12. The minimum value of latitude can be
(a) 90°
(b) 45°
(c) 0°
(d) 66½°

Ans: (c) 0°

13. The instrument used to determine time at Greenwich is called the
(a) Sextant
(b) Thermometer
(c) Anemometer
(d) Chronometer

Ans: (d) Chronometer

14. Latitude located to the north of the equator is known as
(a) High latitude
(b) North latitude
(c) Mild latitude
(d) Low latitude

Ans: (b) North latitude

15. The principal line joining the North Pole and the South Pole is known as the
(a) Equator
(b) Prime Meridian
(c) Tropic of Cancer
(d) Arctic Circle

Ans: (b) Prime Meridian

16. The linear distance between 1° of latitude is approximately
(a) 111 km
(b) 111.1 km
(c) 111.2 km
(d) 112.1 km

Ans: (a) 111 km

17. The linear distance between two meridians at 1° interval along the equator is
(a) 110.3 km
(b) 111.3 km
(c) 112.3 km
(d) 113.3 km

Ans: (b) 111.3 km

18. The linear distance between two successive parallels at an interval of 1° is
(a) 111.3 km
(b) 127 km
(c) 164.2 km
(d) 161 km

Ans: (a) 111.3 km

19. The heavenly body that helps to determine latitude in Australia at night is the
(a) Moon
(b) Pole Star
(c) Evening Star
(d) Hadley’s Octans

Ans: (d) Hadley’s Octans

20. The latitude at which the diurnal range of temperature is the lowest is the
(a) Equator
(b) Tropic of Capricorn
(c) South Pole
(d) Tropic of Cancer

Ans: (a) Equator

2. Very short-type questions and answers

2A. Fill in the blanks

1. The lines of ___________ run in an east–west direction. (latitude)
2. The Tropic of Cancer is the circle marking the latitude ____________. (23½° North)
3. ________ is also referred to as the International Meridian. (Prime Meridian)
4. The lines of longitude run in a _____________ direction. (north–south)
5. The number of time zones that Russia is divided into is ____________. (11)
6. _________ divides the earth into two equal halves. (Equator)
7. The latitudes are ___________ in shape. (circular)
8. The longitudes are ___________ in shape. (semi-circular)
9. The instrument used to calculate the latitude of any place is the ____________. (Sextant)
10. The antipode of the 180° longitude lies on ____________. (0° longitude)
11. The longitudinal difference between 90° W and 5° E is ____________. (95°)
12. All the ___________ are equal in length. (longitudes)
13. A time difference of 4 minutes is observed for a longitudinal difference of ____________. (1°)

2B. True or false

1. The International Date Line is not a straight line. (True)
2. The Equator is an example of a great circle. (True)
3. A chronometer is used to measure the latitude of a place. (False)
4. The 66½° N latitude is also known as the Antarctic Circle. (False)
5. All the lines of latitude intersect the lines of longitude horizontally. (True)
6. Hadley’s Octant is used to determine direction in the Southern Hemisphere. (False)
7. The Prime Meridian is also known as the Greenwich Meridian. (True)
8. The time difference between a place and its antipode is 24 hours. (False)
9. The Equator passes through Brazil. (True)
10. Canada has five standard meridians. (True)
11. In the Western Hemisphere, time decreases with the increase in longitude. (True)
12. The local time of Delhi is considered the standard time for India. (False)
13. The International Date Line passes through the Strait of Malacca. (False)

2C. Match the following

Column A	Column B
1. Chronometer	A. Measures latitude
2. Sextant	B. Determines time
3. Pole Star	C. 82½° E
4. Indian Standard Time	D. Helps determine latitude in Northern Hemisphere
5. Hadley’s Octans	E. Helps determine latitude in Southern Hemisphere

Ans:

Column A	Column B
1. Chronometer	B. Determines time
2. Sextant	A. Measures latitude
3. Pole Star	D. Helps determine latitude in Northern Hemisphere
4. Indian Standard Time	C. 82½° E
5. Hadley’s Octans	E. Helps determine latitude in Southern Hemisphere

2D. Very short-type questions and answers

1. What is the latitude of the Arctic Circle?
Ans: The latitude of the Arctic Circle is 66½° North.

2. What is the Prime Meridian also known as?
Ans: The Prime Meridian is also known as the Greenwich Meridian.

3. What is the latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn?
Ans: The latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn is 23½° South.

4. What are latitudes also known as?
Ans: Latitudes are also known as parallels of latitude.

5. What is 90°N also known as?
Ans: 90° North is also known as the North Pole.

6. What is 90°S also known as?
Ans: 90° South is also known as the South Pole.

7. Which natural object can be used to calculate time?
Ans: The Sun is the natural object used to calculate time.

8. Who invented the chronometer?
Ans: The chronometer was invented by John Harrison.

9. What is the time difference between IST and GMT?
Ans: Indian Standard Time is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

10. What is the time difference between a place and its antipode?
Ans: The time difference between a place and its antipode is 12 hours.

11. What is the longitudinal difference between a place and its antipode?
Ans: The longitudinal difference between a place and its antipode is 180°.

12. Which state of India experiences sunrise first?
Ans: Arunachal Pradesh experiences sunrise first in India.

13. What is latitude?
Ans: Latitude is the angular distance of a place north or south of the Equator.

14. What is the Prime Meridian?
Ans: The Prime Meridian is the 0° longitude from which longitudes are measured east and west.

15. What is standard time?
Ans: Standard time is the uniform time followed by a country, based on a selected standard meridian.

16. What is the difference in time for a difference of 1° longitude?
Ans: The difference in time for a difference of 1° longitude is 4 minutes.

17. What is the highest value of longitudes?
Ans: The highest value of longitudes is 180°.

18. Name the meridian that passes through Greenwich.
Ans: The Prime Meridian passes through Greenwich.

3. Short-type questions and answers

1. What are the properties of lines of longitude?
Ans: Lines of longitude are imaginary semicircular lines drawn on the globe that extend from the North Pole to the South Pole. All the lines of longitude meet at the poles and are equal in length. These lines are very important because they help in the calculation of local time as well as standard time of different places on the earth.

2. What is the equator?
Ans: The equator is an imaginary line at 0° latitude that divides the earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.

3. What is the Prime Meridian?
Ans: The Prime Meridian is the 0° longitude from which longitudes are measured towards the east and the west.

4. What is Hadley’s Octant? From where is it visible?
Ans: Hadley’s Octant is an instrument used to measure the altitude of the sun and stars. It was used by sailors and is visible from sea level and coastal regions.

5. What is an antipode?
Ans: An antipode is a place located exactly opposite to another place on the earth’s surface. In an antipodal position, the latitude changes from north to south, and the longitude differs by 180°.

6. What is a sextant?
Ans: A sextant is an instrument used to measure the angular height of the sun or stars above the horizon. This measurement helps sailors and geographers to determine the latitude of a place, especially during sea voyages.

7. What is a chronometer?
Ans: A chronometer is a highly accurate time-keeping instrument used to maintain exact time over long periods. By comparing the local time of a place with Greenwich Mean Time, the longitude of that place can be determined accurately.

8. What is the difference between a great circle and a small circle?
Ans:

Great Circle	Small Circle
A great circle divides the earth into two equal halves.	A small circle does not divide the earth into two equal halves.
Its centre coincides with the centre of the earth.	Its centre does not coincide with the centre of the earth.
The Equator is an example of a great circle.	All parallels of latitude except the Equator are examples of small circles.

9. How are longitude and time related?
Ans: Longitude and time are closely related because the earth rotates from west to east. Due to this rotation, a difference of one degree of longitude corresponds to a time difference of four minutes. Therefore, places lying to the east experience time earlier than places lying to the west, and this relationship helps in the calculation of local and standard time.

10. How is the location of a place determined on the earth’s surface?
Ans: The location of a place on the earth’s surface is determined with the help of latitudes and longitudes. These imaginary lines give the exact angular position of a place north–south and east–west on the globe.

11. Why does local time change with the change of meridians of longitude?
Ans: Local time changes with the change of meridians of longitude because the earth rotates from west to east, so different meridians receive sunlight at different times of the day.

12. Why does the International Date Line not follow the 180th meridian?
Ans: The International Date Line does not follow the 180th meridian to avoid dividing countries, islands and inhabited places into two different calendar dates, which would create confusion.

13. What are parallels of latitude?
Ans: Parallels of latitude are imaginary circles drawn parallel to the equator, joining all places having the same latitude.

14. What is a meridian?
Ans: A meridian is an imaginary semicircle passing through the North Pole and the South Pole, joining places that have the same longitude.

15. What are the properties of latitudes?
Ans: Latitudes are imaginary lines drawn on the globe that run from east to west around the earth. These lines remain parallel to one another and therefore never intersect at any point. The equator is the longest latitude, and as we move away from it towards the North Pole and the South Pole, the length of the latitudes gradually decreases.

16. What is angular distance?
Ans: Angular distance is the distance of a place measured in degrees from a reference line, such as the equator or the Prime Meridian.

17. What are northern and southern latitudes?
Ans: Latitudes lying north of the equator are called northern latitudes, and they extend from 0° to 90° North. Latitudes lying south of the equator are called southern latitudes, and they extend from 0° to 90° South. These latitudes are measured from the equator and are used to determine the north–south position of a place on the earth.

18. Mention the places where the International Date Line deviates from the 180° longitude.
Ans: The International Date Line deviates near the Aleutian Islands, Fiji and New Zealand to avoid land areas.

19. What is graticule?
Ans: The graticule is a network formed by the intersection of latitudes and longitudes on a globe or map, which helps in locating places.

4. Long-type questions and answers

1. How can we determine the longitude of a place?
Ans: The longitude of a place can be determined by comparing its local time with Greenwich Mean Time. The local time of a place is found when the sun is exactly overhead at noon. The time difference between the local time and GMT is then calculated. Since one degree of longitude represents a difference of four minutes of time, this time difference helps to calculate the longitude of the place accurately.

2. Difference between latitude and longitude.
Ans:

Latitude	Longitude
Latitude is the angular distance of a place north or south of the Equator.	Longitude is the angular distance of a place east or west of the Prime Meridian.
It runs in east–west direction.	It runs in north–south direction.
Latitudes are parallel to each other and never meet.	Longitudes meet at the North and South Poles.
The Equator is the main latitude.	The Prime Meridian is the main longitude.
It helps in determining heat zones.	It helps in determining time.

3. How was the International Date Line determined?
Ans: The International Date Line was determined at the International Meridian Conference held in 1884. It was fixed near the 180° longitude, which lies opposite to the Prime Meridian. The main purpose of fixing this line was to maintain a uniform system of dates throughout the world. When a person crosses this line, the date changes by one day. The line does not follow the 180° longitude exactly in order to avoid dividing countries and islands.

4. Difference between local time and standard time.
Ans:

Local Time	Standard Time
Local time is based on the position of the sun over a particular meridian.	Standard time is based on a selected meridian of a country.
It differs from place to place.	It is the same throughout the country.
It causes confusion in daily life.	It avoids confusion and maintains uniformity.
Each longitude has its own local time.	One standard meridian is followed.

5. Difference between latitude and parallels of latitude.
Ans:

Latitude	Parallels of Latitude
Latitude is the angular distance of a place from the equator.	Parallels of latitude are imaginary circles drawn parallel to the equator.
It is expressed in degrees.	They represent the actual imaginary lines on the globe.
It tells the position of a place.	They join places having the same latitude.

6. What do you mean by Daylight Saving Time?
Ans: Daylight Saving Time is a system in which clocks are set one hour ahead of the standard time during the summer months. This system is followed to make maximum use of natural daylight available in the evening hours. By advancing the clock, people can work and carry out daily activities for a longer time in daylight, which reduces the need for artificial lighting. As a result, energy is saved. This system is mainly followed in temperate countries during summer.

7. Difference between longitude and meridians of longitude.
Ans:

Longitude	Meridians of Longitude
Longitude is the angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.	Meridians of longitude are imaginary semicircles joining the poles.
It is expressed in degrees.	They are the actual imaginary lines on the globe.
It helps to locate a place.	They help in measuring time.

8. Into how many heat zones can the earth be divided on the basis of latitudes?
Ans: The earth is divided into three heat zones on the basis of latitudes.

Frigid Zones: The Frigid Zones lie between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere and between the Antarctic Circle and the South Pole in the Southern Hemisphere. The sun’s rays fall very obliquely, resulting in extremely cold conditions.
Torrid Zone: This zone lies between the Tropic of Cancer (23½° N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23½° S). The sun’s rays fall almost vertically throughout the year, so the temperature remains high.
Temperate Zones: These zones extend from the Tropic of Cancer to the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Antarctic Circle in the Southern Hemisphere. The sun’s rays are slanting here, and the climate is moderate.

9. What is Greenwich Mean Time?
Ans: Greenwich Mean Time, commonly known as GMT, is the local time of the Prime Meridian which passes through Greenwich in England. It is calculated on the basis of the mean position of the sun at Greenwich. GMT is taken as the standard reference time for the whole world. The local time of different places is determined by comparing it with GMT. It plays an important role in international travel, communication and navigation.

10. According to 4:30 p.m. GMT it is 12 noon at a place. What is the longitude of that place?
Ans: At Greenwich, the time is 4:30 p.m., while at the given place it is 12 noon. This shows that the local time is earlier than Greenwich Mean Time. The time difference between the two places is 4 hours 30 minutes, which is equal to 270 minutes. Since one degree of longitude represents a time difference of four minutes, the longitude difference is calculated as 270 ÷ 4 = 67½°. As the local time is earlier than GMT, the place lies to the west of the Prime Meridian. Therefore, the longitude of the place is 67½° West longitude.