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The Tropic of Cancer lies at approximately which latitude north of the Equator?
A. 0 degrees
B. 23.5 degrees
C. 45 degrees
D. 66.5 degrees
Correct Answer Is Option = 23.5 degrees
Notes / Explanation
The Tropic of Cancer lies at approximately twenty-three and a half degrees of latitude to the north of the Equator, and it is one of the important imaginary lines used in geography to describe positions on the surface of the Earth and to understand the patterns of climate and the seasons. The Equator is the central line that divides the Earth into the northern and southern halves, and the Tropic of Cancer is a line drawn parallel to the Equator at a fixed distance to the north of it. There is a corresponding line at the same distance to the south of the Equator, and together these two lines mark the boundaries of the warm region of the Earth known as the tropics, which lies between them and which receives the most direct rays of the Sun. The special importance of the Tropic of Cancer lies in its relationship to the apparent movement of the Sun and the changing of the seasons. Because the Earth is tilted on its axis as it travels around the Sun, the position of the Sun in the sky changes throughout the year, and the point on the Earth where the Sun appears directly overhead shifts back and forth between the two tropic lines. The Tropic of Cancer marks the most northerly point at which the Sun can be seen directly overhead, and this occurs at the time of year that brings the longest day and the beginning of summer in the northern half of the world. After reaching this northern limit, the overhead position of the Sun begins to move back towards the Equator and then towards the southern line. The regions that lie along and near the Tropic of Cancer experience hot climates, and many of the great deserts of the world are located in these latitudes, because the air conditions in these regions tend to produce dry, hot weather. The line passes through a number of countries across different continents. Understanding the position of the Tropic of Cancer and its companion line helps in understanding why different parts of the world experience different climates and seasons. For PPSC and other competitive examinations, the key points to remember are that the Tropic of Cancer lies at about twenty-three and a half degrees north of the Equator, that it marks the most northerly point at which the Sun appears directly overhead, that it is connected to the longest day and the start of summer in the northern hemisphere, and that many deserts lie along this latitude.
