Links Page on Time Zones

Outline

  1. Characteristics of Time Zones
  2. Calculations
  3. Mapping Time

 

Characteristics of Time Zones

Degrees of time zones-  Time zones are all 15 degrees apart from one another.  Within the 15 degrees is an hour of time that passes.  This doesn’t mean the each degree represents 4 minutes.  The entire width of the zone is exactly the same time.

Lines of Latitude-   Latitude lines are also 15 degrees apart.  They are lines that measure distance north and south.  They are also parallel to the equator.  The link here gets you more acquainted with this concept.

Lines of Longitude-  Longitude lines measure distances east and west and are the lines parallel to the International Date Line and the Prime Meridian, two very important time zone markers.

Calculations

Traveling from east to west-  Now that we know how to calculate distance as hours between time zones, this site shows you other calculations for distances between two cities.

Traveling from west to east-  Here you are able to find the exact time it is in two different cities and you can use the formula backwards to see if you can find how many degrees apart the two cities are.

Traveling in the same hemisphere-  The conversions are done for you on this page, so you can check to see if you are doing them correctly.

Mapping Time

Location of time zones-  These time zones are labeled in colors, each one being 15 degrees in width and taking 1 hour for the sun to cross.  The world is made up of 24 zones, hence the reason for the 24 hours in the day. Many countries choose to label their time zones using names not degrees, such as this map of the United States.

The United States falls into 5 labeled time zones (Alaska-Hawaii Standard, Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern).

Prime meridian-  The prime meridian is at 0 degrees longitude on the map.  Every other location, other than the International Date Line, will have east or west behind the degrees.  That will tell which direction you are from the prime meridian.  Here you will find out more information on this important line.

International Date Line-  The international date line is like the prime meridian in that it is a longitudinal line that cuts the world into a west and eastern hemisphere. The difference is that the date line is at 180 degrees longitude. Notice that when referring to the Prime Meridian or the International Date Line, you don’t include east or west.  This is because at the prime meridian and the date lines are lines that sit exactly in the middle of the world, splitting it into the eastern and western hemispheres.  Like the other longitudinal lines, the date line is not straight measuring 15 degrees apart in all areas. Rather it avoids putting a country in two different days by curving the line.

  

Submitted by Jessica Davis on February 8th 2008.