Q 1 Select the appropriate answer from the four options given below:
i. Which of the following
latitudinal extension is relevant with reference to the extent of the entire
land of India?
(a) 8°41' N to 35°7'
N.
(b) 8°4' N to 35°6'
N.
(c) 8°4' N to 37°6'
N.
(d) 6°45' N to 37°6'
N.
Ans. (c) 8°4' N to 37°6' N
 |
| Indias Latitudinal extension |
ii. Which of the following country has the longest terrestrial border with India?
(a) Bangladesh
(b) Pakistan
(c) China
(d) Myanmar
Ans. (a) Bangladesh (4096
km long)
iii. Which of the following
countries is larger than India in area?
(a) China
(b) France
(c) Egypt
(d) Iran
Ans. (a) China (Area: 9,598,094 sq km, almost three times as large)
 |
| Seven Largest Countries |
iv. Which one of the following meridians is the standard meridian of India?
(a) 69°30' East
(b) 75°30' East
(c) 82°30' East
(d) 90°30' East
Ans. (c) 82°30'E (82½°E longitude or meridian)
 |
| IST |
v. If you travel from Rajasthan to Nagaland in a straight line, which one of the following rivers would you not cross?
(a) Yamuna
(b) Indus
(c) Brahmaputra
(d) Ganga
Ans. (b) Indus
Q 2
Answer
the following questions in about 30 words:
(i) Does India need more than one
standard time? If yes, why do you think so?
Ans. India is a vast country which extends from Arunachal
Pradesh in the east to Saurashtra in the west, but India has only one time zone
in the vast geographical area. Given India's vast (approximately 30°)
longitudinal extent, India should be divided into two separate time zones. Due
to which the change in office hours in Northeast India can save electricity
worth crores of rupees. But this can lead to many practical difficulties in the
country, such as how the timetable of aircraft and trains will be determined;
there will also be a problem in determining the broadcast time of radio and TV
programs.
(ii) What are the implications of India's long coastline?
Ans. The total length of the coastline
of India is 7517 km, while the main coastline is about 6100 km long. India's long coastline has the following
advantages:
a) Natural Boundary
b) Impact on climate
c) Contribution to rainfall
d) Fishing
e) Strategic (for Navy) advantage
f) Friendly to sea traffic
g) Natural harbor
h) Lagoon lakes, such as – Chilka
Lake – Orissa, (largest brackish water lake in India)
i) Natural Beach likely – Marina
Beach (Chennai)
j) Source of minerals like
petroleum, natural gas and atomic energy, such as Gulf of Cambay oil field, thorium,
uranium etc. from the coastal monazite sands of Kerala.
k) Center of tourism
l) Deltaic regions of rivers, areas
of agriculture and fertile soils
 |
| Indian Coastline |
(iii) How is India's longitudinal spread beneficial for it? OR How is the latitudinal spread of India advantageous to her?
Ans. The longitudinal extent of India is between 68°7'
East to 97°25' East, extending up to about 30°
longitude. Due to the large longitudinal extension from west to east, the
sunrise in the eastern tip of India Arunachal Pradesh (97°25'E)
rises earlier, while in the western tip of India, Saurashtra (Gujarat) (68°7'E) the sunrise is almost happens two hours later. Thus,
there is a difference of about two hours between the local time of the eastern
tip of India and the western end.
Evergreen rain forests are found in
the Northeast due to greater longitudinal spread. The climate is favorable in
the Gangetic plain, while the desert terrain is found in the western part.
According to whose physical characteristics there is diversity in flora,
climate and fauna. At the same time, cultural diversity is also clearly visible
in all these regions.
(iv) Whereas in the East, in Nagaland, the sun rises earlier and sets earlier, then why do the clocks show the same time in Kohima and New Delhi?
Ans. The longitudinal extent of India is
between 68°7' East to 97°25' East,
extending up to about 30° longitude. Due to the Earth's
west-to-east rotation and large longitudinal extent, sunrise occurs earlier in
Arunachal Pradesh (97°25' East) on the eastern tip of
India, while Saurashtra (Gujarat) (68°7' E) on the western
tip of India. Sunrise occurs approximately two hours after that. Thus, there is
a difference of about two hours between the local time of the eastern tip of
India and the western end. That is, 97°25' East - 68°7' East = approximately 30° X 4 minutes = 120 minutes i.e. 2
hours. (Note - Earth takes about 4 minutes to rotate 1° in front of the Sun)
Despite this difference, the clocks
of Kohima in Nagaland in the north-eastern states of India, Dibrugarh in Assam,
Imphal in Manipur and Jaisalmer in the western part of Rajasthan show the same
time, because 82°30' East (82°E) longitude The line or meridian is defined as the standard
meridian or IST (Indian Standard Time) for India. The time of the whole of
India is determined from this line (82½°E).