Geography
Lecture 03: Earth- Size, Location and Time
Note:
Wormhole
● A wormhole is atheoretical structure in
spacetime that acts as a tunnel,
connecting two separate points in space
and time.
○ Wormholes could act as spacetime
shortcuts, enabling
faster-than-light travel and
potentiallyfunctioning as time machinesfor travelingto different points in
time.
● This concept arises from solutions to theEinsteinfield equations in general relativity.
Evolution of Moon
Theory of Giant Splat/ Great Impact
● 4.5 billion years agoone supermassive object of size1-3 times of Mars, often calledTheia
collided with the Earth.
● This collision breaks apart a huge debris (consisted of material from both Theia and
Earth's outer layers).
● The ejected material formed a disk of molten and vaporised rock around Earth. Over time,
gravity caused the material to clump together and form the Moon.
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Shape of Earth
● It is slightly flat at the poles and slightly bulged at the equator.
○ The Equator is an imaginary lineencircling Earth, equidistant from the North and
South Poles, dividing the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It is
situated at0 degrees latitude.
● Itsequatorial diameter(approximately 12,756 km or 7926 miles)isslightly larger than
itspolar diameter (about 12,714 km or 7900 miles).
● This shape is termed an“geoid”
Location on Earth
● Few invisible lines criss-cross the globe, forming a matrix that allows us to pinpoint any
location precisely.
● These coordinates provide a global framework for
locating places and are crucial for various scientific,
environmental, and practical applications
Latitudes:
● Angular distance from the centre of the earth to
the surface of the earth
● Lines joining points of similar angular distance from
the centre of the earth.
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● Depicted by horizontal lines called parallels, running east-west.
● Total number of latitudes on Earth ⇒ 181(90+90+1)
● Distance between two latitudinal lines~110.569km/ 110.6 km / 111 km
● Values range from 0° at the Equator to 90° at the poles (90°N for the North Pole and 90°S
for the South Pole).
○ Expressed in degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″)
● Parallels of latitude:These are the imaginary linesjoining the points of similar latitude.
○ Number of Latitudinal lines ⇒ 181-2=179, since North and South poles are mere
points and not lines
● Properties of latitudes:
○ Two latitudes will never intersect with each other.
○ The equator is only latitude which can divide earth into two equal halves.
○ Two places can have the same latitudes but two latitudes cannot have the same
position.
● Important latitudes:
○ Equator:The longest parallel, separating the Northernand Southern Hemispheres,
where day and night lengths remain almost equal throughout the year, and a
tropical climate prevails.
○ Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N Latitude):Located northof the Equator, it marks the
northernmost point where the sun can be directly overhead. This latitude influences
the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
○ Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S Latitude):Situated south of the Equator, it marks
the southernmost point where the sun can be directly overhead. This latitude
influences the start of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
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○ Arctic Circle (66.5°N Latitude):Marks the northernmostlatitude where the sun
does not set for 24 hours during the summer and does not rise for 24 hours during
the winter.
○ Antarctic Circle (66.5°S Latitude):Marks the southernmostlatitude where the
sun does not set for 24 hours during the summer and does not rise for 24 hours
during the winter.
Longitudes:
● International Meridian Conference held in Washington, D.C., on 2nd October, 1884.
○ It decided that line of0° longitude that will passesthrough Royal Observatory,
Greenwich, near London.
○ Hence 0° longitude is also known asPrime Meridianor Greenwich Meridian
Time(GMT).
● Longitudes are semi circles that meet at the poles.
● They are imaginary vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole,
measuring distanceseast or west of the Prime Meridian.
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● 180th medidian is also known as the International Date Line.
○ The Prime Meridian (0° longitude) and the 180th Meridian (opposite side of the
globe) divide Earth into two hemispheres.
● Earth completes afull rotation of 360° in
approximately 24 hoursin west to east direction.
○ Each hour corresponds to 15°of Earth's
rotation. (15° ~ 60 mins)
○ Each degree of longitude represents 4
minutesof time difference. (1° ~ 4 mins)
○ Thus,longitudes defines tie zone of a
place.
● Time Calculation Rules:
○ Moving eastward of the prime meridian, time is added.
■ Example: At 30°E, the time is 2:00 PM
(assuming 12:00 PM at the Prime Meridian).
○ Moving westward ofthe prime meridian, time is
subtracted.
■ Example:At 30°W, the time is 10:00 AM
(assuming 12:00 PM at the Prime Meridian).
Q.If the time at 37.5°W is 11:00 AM, calculate thetime at 82.5°E.
Solution:
● The total longitude difference between 37.5°W and 82.5°E is120°(37.5°W to 0° =
37.5°, and 0° to 82.5°E = 82.5°)
● Each 15° corresponds to 1 hour. Therefore:
○ 120° corresponds to 8 hours (120° ÷ 15° = 8 hours).
○ Moving from west to east, time is added.
● Add 8 hours to 11:00 AM →7:00 PM at 82.5°E.
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Local Standard Time/ Indian Standard Time (IST)
● Prime Meridian acts as the reference line for time calculations worldwide, however different
countries have adopted local standard time for practical or economic reasons
● IST is calculated based on the82.5°E longitude, which passes throughMirzapur in Uttar
Pradesh.
○ The 82.5°E longitude was chosen as it lies approximately in the center of India,
ensuring minimal time differences across the nation.
● IST is5 hours 30 minutes aheadof Greenwich MeanTime(GMT+5:30),reflecting India's
standard time offset.
● India follows asingle time zoneacross the countrydespite its vast geographical size.
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International Date Line(IDL)
● International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line running from the North Pole to the
South Pole, primarily along the180° longitude,thatdemarcates the change of one
calendar day to the next.
● The IDL generally
follows the 180°
meridian in the
Pacific Ocean but
deviates to avoid
dividing countries
and territories.
● Crossing the IDL
results in a 24-hour
time change.
○ Travelers
moving
westward
(e.g., from
Asia to the Americas) subtract a day(e.g., from January24 to January 23)
○ Travelersmoving eastward (e.g., from the Americas to Asia) add a day(e.g.,
from January 23 to January 24)
● The first places to experience a new day are islands in Kiribati, such as Millennium Island,
which are located just west of the IDL and observe UTC+14:00.
○ However, Japan is often referred to as“land of rising sun”
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