Class 5- Lesson 2.

Parallels and Meridians

F. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the difference between parallels and meridians?

Parallels
Parallels is also known as Latitudes.
All Parallels are complete circles
The length of parallels keeps decreasing as we move away
from the equator towards the pole.
Parallels neither cut nor cut one another.
The parallel line that runs through east to west is called
Equator.
Parallels are drawn at an interval of 10.
Meridians
Meridians is also known as Longitudes.
All meridians are of same length
The distance between any two meridians decreases as
one moves away from the equator.
Meridians cut the parallels at 900.
The line that runs through north pole to south pole is
called as Prime Meridian
Meridians that passes through Greenwich is marked
as 00.

2. How do we number parallels on a globe?

A) We start from the equator and mark it as 00 latitude. The equator divides the earth into two parts. The
portion above the equator is called as Northern Hemisphere and the portion below the equator is called as
Southern Hemisphere. The distance between any two parallels at an interval of one degree. There are 90
parallels in the Northern Hemisphere and 90 parallels in the Southern Hemisphere.

3. How do we number meridian on a globe?

A) The line that runs from North Pole to South Pole is marked as 00 longitude. It is called as prime
meridian. There are 180 meridians towards the west of the prime meridian and 180 meridians towards the
east of the prime meridian. It starts from 00 E, 100 E, 200 E, , 1600 E, 1800 E. on east side. And from west
00 W, 100 W, 200 W, , 1600 W, 1800 W.

4. What is the Prime Meridian? Why is it important?

A) The line that runs from North Pole to South Pole is called as prime meridian. The distance of a place east
or west of the Prime Meridian is measured as an angle. Whose vertex is at the centre of the earth.

5. What do we need to know to find the location of a place on earth?

A) To locate the place on the earth, we must know its latitude and longitude. The point at which the
parallels and the meridian cross each other is the location of that place.