NCERT Geo Class 6 Chap – 2 – Page 1
Northern Hemisphere Southern hemisphere Tilted Axis of Earth North Pole South Pole Equator What is a Globe ? Label on More Info Label on More Info Label on More Info Label on More Info Label on More Info

Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of the Earth that is north of the equator. The word "hemisphere" means "half sphere".

Features

⇒ The Northern Hemisphere contains about 68% of the Earth's landmass. Ratio of Land to Water is 2 : 3

⇒ It is home to about 90% of the world's population.

⇒ It includes North America, Europe, Asia, and most of Africa.

⇒ Thus Northern Hemisphere has more land and population than the Southern Hemisphere.

⇒ Ratio of Land to Water is 2 : 3

Southern hemisphere

The Southern Hemisphere is the half of the Earth that is south of the equator. The word "hemisphere" means "half sphere".

Features

⇒ The Northern Hemisphere contains about 32% of the Earth's landmass.

⇒ It is home to about 10% of the world's population.

⇒ It includes South America, Australia, Antarctica, and the southern parts of Africa.

⇒ Hence Southern Hemisphere has less land and population than the Northern Hemisphere

⇒ Ratio of Land to Water is 1 : 4

Tilted Axis of Earth

The Earth's axis is tilted at a 23.5 degree angle away from the vertical, which is perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun. This tilt is also known as the obliquity of the ecliptic.

⭕Additional iNFO: Importance ? Is it Fixed? Formation? ⭕

⇒ Importance : The Earth's tilt is important because it affects how strongly the sun's energy warms the Earth. The tilt causes the sun to shine on different latitudes at different angles throughout the year, which results in the seasons.

⇒ Is it Fixed ? : The angle of the Earth's axis is not fixed, as the gravitational pull of the Moon shifts it by almost a degree on either side.

⇒ Formation : The Giant Impact Hypothesis suggests that the Earth's axis tilt was caused by a massive collision between the early Earth and a Mars-sized object called Theia. This collision also resulted in the formation of the Moon.

North Pole

The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Magnetic North Pole.

⭕Additional iNFO: Location⭕

The North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean amid waters that are almost permanently covered with constantly shifting sea ice. This makes it impractical to construct a permanent station at the North Pole (unlike the South Pole) !

South Pole

The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True South Pole to distinguish from the Magnetic South Pole.

⭕Additional iNFO: Location⭕

South Pole is presently located on The Antarctic Plateau, also known as the Polar Plateau or King Haakon VII Plateau, in East Antarctica on the continent of Antarctica, although this has not been the case for all of Earth's history because of continental drift.

Equator

The equator is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is located at 0 degrees latitude and is halfway between the North and South poles. The equator is about 40,075 km (24,901 mi) in circumference.

What is a Globe ?

A globe is a three-dimensional model of the Earth that shows its surface features, distances, and directions more accurately than a flat map. It's an essential tool for geographers, cartographers, and anyone interested in understanding the world.

There are two types of globes:

1) Terrestrial globe: A model of the Earth. Shows the Earth's land, water, and often its national borders. It may also show major cities, latitude and longitude lines, and raised relief to show mountains and other large landforms. Terrestrial globes are often used in classrooms for geography.

2) Celestial globe: A model of the celestial sphere. Shows the stars and constellations as they are located in the sky. It may also show the positions of other prominent astronomical objects. Celestial globes are used for some astronomical or astrological calculations or as ornaments.