Earth's Rotation and the 15° Rule:
360° Rotation in 24 Hours: The Earth rotates 360° in one day.
Dividing 360° by 24 hours shows that every hour corresponds
to 15° of rotation.
15° per Hour: This means that as you move 15° east or west
along a meridian, local solar time changes by approximately one
hour. it will pass through 1° in 60/15= 4 minutes.
The Role of the Prime Meridian & Standard Time:
Prime Meridian at Greenwich (0°): At the International
Meridian Conference (1884), the Greenwich Meridian was
chosen as the reference point.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): Time zones are defined as
offsets from UTC, which is based on the mean solar time at
Greenwich.
Creating the Time Zones:
Dividing the Globe: Ideally, the Earth is divided into 24 time
zones, each spanning 15° of longitude:
Eastward Movement: As you travel east, local time
becomes later (adds an hour every 15°).
Westward Movement: As you travel west, local time
becomes earlier (subtracts an hour every 15°).
Real-World Adjustments:
Although the theoretical zones
are 15° wide, political, economic,
and social factors often cause
the boundaries to shift (e.g.,
some countries adopt a single
time zone or have half-
hour/quarter-hour differences).
Role of Latitude:
Why Latitude Isn’t Used to Set Time Zones: Latitude determines
the angle of the sun’s rays and affects daylight duration and
climate zones but time is based on the Earth’s rotation (an east
west phenomenon).
Example: Even though two locations on the same longitude but
different latitudes may have very different day lengths, they share
the same standard time.
Impact on Solar Time: Local solar noon (when the sun is highest)
occurs at different clock times across longitudes, not latitudes.
What is the International Date Line?
The International Date Line is an
imaginary line primarily along the
180° meridian where the calendar
date changes. When you cross this
line, you either add or subtract one
day.
How the Date Change Works:
Eastward Crossing (from the “future” to the “past”):
When traveling from west to east, you subtract one day
(e.g., Monday becomes Sunday).
Westward Crossing (from the “past” to the “future”):
When traveling from east to west, you add one day (e.g.,
Sunday becomes Monday).
This adjustment ensures that despite the continuous
rotation of Earth, the calendar remains consistent for
international travel and communication.
The Role of Latitude:
Latitude’s Indirect Influence:
While the IDL is defined by longitude, latitude does not directly
determine where the date changes.
Note: The concept applies uniformly from the equator to the
poles, though in polar regions the idea of a “date line” is less
significant due to the convergence of longitudes.
Focus on East-West Movement:
The daily cycle and date change are tied to Earth’s rotation (an
east–west phenomenon) rather than the north–south position.
Impact on International Travel & Communication:
Practical Implications:
Crossing the IDL can result in losing or gaining an entire day,
which is important for flight schedules, international meetings,
and global data systems.
Example:
A traveler flying westward across the IDL might "skip" a day,
while one flying eastward would repeat a calendar day.
