Locating Places on Earth

✅ Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What is the shape of the Earth considered in geography?

a) Oval

b) Flat

c) Spherical ✅

d) Cubical

2. The longest parallel of latitude is:

a) 23½°N

b) 90°S

c) 66½°S

d) 0° (Equator) ✅

3. The Prime Meridian passes through:

a) Paris

b) Ujjain

c) Greenwich ✅

d) Tokyo

4. What does 1 cm = 500 m represent on a map?

a) Scale ✅

b) Symbol

c) Compass

d) Legend

5. The line that divides Earth into Eastern and Western hemispheres is:

a) Equator

b) Prime Meridian ✅

c) Tropic of Cancer

d) International Date Line

6. Latitude and longitude together create:

a) Time zones

b) Grid ✅

c) Equator

d) Hemisphere

7. IST is how much ahead of GMT?

a) 4 hours

b) 5 hours

c) 5 hours 30 minutes ✅

d) 6 hours

8. Which of the following is not a cardinal direction?

a) North

b) Northeast ✅

c) East

d) West

9. Which of the following maps shows natural features?

a) Political map

b) Thematic map

c) Physical map ✅

d) Relief map

10. A book containing a collection of maps is called:

a) Atlas ✅

b) Globe

c) Diary

d) Notebook

11. The Earth completes one rotation in:

a) 12 hours

b) 24 hours ✅

c) 48 hours

d) 30 days

12. Which line divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

a) Prime Meridian

b) Tropic of Cancer

c) Equator ✅

d) International Date Line

13. The International Date Line is close to:

a) 90°E

b) 180° ✅

c) 0°

d) 23½°N

14. Which of the following lines run from east to west?

a) Longitudes

b) Meridians

c) Latitudes ✅

d) None of these

15. Lines of latitude are also called:

a) Meridians

b) Grid lines

c) Parallels ✅

d) Equators

16. Which of these is an intermediate direction?

a) North

b) Southeast ✅

c) West

d) East

17. How many main directions are there?

a) Two

b) Four ✅

c) Eight

d) Three

18. The symbol ‘PS’ on a map usually stands for:

a) Police Station ✅

b) Power Station

c) Post Office

d) Petrol Station

19. The standard set of map symbols in India is provided by:

a) NCERT

b) Ministry of Culture

c) Survey of India ✅

d) Geological Survey

20. The zero degree longitude is also known as:

a) Equator

b) Prime Meridian ✅

c) Tropic of Capricorn

d) Greenwich Line

21. When crossing the International Date Line from west to east, you:

a) Add a day

b) Subtract a day ✅

c) Add 12 hours

d) Subtract 12 hours

22. What do you call the imaginary lines that meet at the poles?

a) Latitudes

b) Longitudes ✅

c) Equators

d) Parallels

23. What is the latitude of the South Pole?

a) 0°

b) 66½°S

c) 90°S ✅

d) 180°S

24. Which country has multiple time zones?

a) India

b) Nepal

c) USA ✅

d) Sri Lanka

25. The Indian Standard Time is calculated from:

a) 68°E

b) 82½°E ✅

c) 90°E

d) 77°E

Very Short Answer Questions (1 mark)

1. What is a map?

Ans: A map is a drawing or representation of an area viewed from above.

2. Name the four cardinal directions.

Ans: North, South, East, West.

3. What is the scale on a map?

Ans: The ratio between the actual distance on the ground and its representation on the map.

4. What is an atlas?

Ans: A collection or book of maps.

5. What is the shape of the Earth?

Ans: Nearly spherical.

6. What does the Equator divide?

Ans: The Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

7. Define latitude.

Ans: Latitude is the angular distance north or south of the Equator.

8. Which city in India was used as the prime meridian in ancient times?

Ans: Ujjain.

Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks)

1. What are the three main components of a map?

Ans: Distance (scale), direction (cardinal and intermediate), and symbols.

2. Why are symbols used in maps?

Ans: Symbols are used to represent physical features or human-made structures in a small space on the map for easier reading and clarity.

3. How does the Prime Meridian affect time?

Ans: Longitude is used to calculate time; every 15° represents a difference of one hour from the Prime Meridian.

4. What is the difference between local time and standard time?

Ans: Local time varies by longitude and is based on the sun’s position, while standard time is fixed for an entire region or country based on a central meridian.

5. What is the International Date Line?

Ans: It's an imaginary line around 180° longitude where the date changes when crossed.

Long Answer Questions (4–5 marks)

1. Explain how latitude and longitude help in locating places.

Ans: Latitude measures the distance north or south of the Equator, and longitude measures the distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. Together, they form a grid on the globe which helps in locating any place on Earth precisely using coordinates.

2. Describe the relationship between longitude and time with an example.

Ans: The Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, which means 15° per hour. Each 15° of longitude corresponds to a 1-hour time difference. For example, if it is 12 pm at Greenwich (0°), it is 1 pm at 15°E and 11 am at 15°W. This helps define local and standard times.

3. Write a note on the different types of maps and their uses.

Ans: There are physical maps (show natural features), political maps (show countries, states, cities), and thematic maps (show specific data like rainfall or population). Each serves a different purpose in understanding geography and planning activities.

4. Explain with diagrams (if required) the division of Earth into hemispheres.

Ans: The Equator divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, while the Prime Meridian and the 180° longitude divide it into Eastern and Western Hemispheres. These divisions help in global navigation and locating places.