Class 6 Social Science Chapter 1 Locating Places on the Earth Practice Paper 1

Class: VI Subject: Social Science Session: 2025-26 Chapter: 01 - Locating Places on the Earth Time: 1½ Hours Max. Marks: 40

General Instructions:

1. All questions are compulsory.

2. This question paper contains 20 questions divided into five sections A, B, C, D and E.

3. Section A contains 10 MCQs of 1 mark each.

4. Section B contains 4 questions of 2 marks each.

5. Section C contains 3 questions of 3 marks each.

6. Section D contains 1 question of 5 marks.

7. Section E contains 2 Case Study Based questions of 4 marks each.

SECTION A - Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

Q1. A map is a representation of an area as viewed from:
(a) The side
(b) The top
(c) The bottom
(d) Any angle

Q2. Which component of a map helps us understand how much real distance is represented on paper?
(a) Direction
(b) Scale
(c) Symbols
(d) Colors

Q3. The four cardinal directions are:
(a) North, South, East, West
(b) Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest
(c) Up, Down, Left, Right
(d) Forward, Backward, Sideways, Diagonal

Q4. Parallels of latitude run in which direction?
(a) North to South
(b) East to West
(c) Northeast to Southwest
(d) Northwest to Southeast

Q5. The Equator is located at:
(a) 0° latitude
(b) 90°N latitude
(c) 90°S latitude
(d) 180° latitude

Q6. Meridians of longitude are:
(a) Full circles
(b) Half-circles
(c) Quarter-circles
(d) Straight lines

Q7. The Prime Meridian passes through:
(a) Paris, France
(b) Greenwich, England
(c) New York, USA
(d) Delhi, India

Q8. In ancient India, which city had a prime meridian?
(a) Delhi
(b) Varanasi
(c) Ujjain
(d) Patna

Q9. How many hours does Earth take to complete one full rotation?
(a) 12 hours
(b) 24 hours
(c) 36 hours
(d) 48 hours

Q10. Indian Standard Time is ahead of Greenwich Mean Time by:
(a) 4 hours 30 minutes
(b) 5 hours 30 minutes
(c) 6 hours 30 minutes
(d) 7 hours 30 minutes

SECTION B - Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

Q11. What is an atlas? Give two examples of types of maps found in an atlas.

Q12. Explain the difference between a physical map and a political map.

Q13. Why do map makers use symbols? Give two examples of symbols used in Indian maps.

Q14. What is the International Date Line and where is it located?

SECTION C - Short Answer Questions (3 marks each)

Q15. Explain how latitude affects the climate of a place. Describe the three climate zones based on latitude.

Q16. What is the difference between local time and standard time? Why do countries adopt standard time?

Q17. Describe the ancient Indian prime meridian. Which famous astronomer worked in the city through which it passed?

SECTION D - Long Answer Question (5 marks)

Q18. Explain the coordinate system used in maps with the help of latitude and longitude. How do these two measurements help in precisely locating any place on Earth? Give at least one example.

SECTION E - Case Study Based Questions (4 marks each)

Q19. Read the following case and answer the questions: Ravi is planning to visit a new city for the first time. He has a map of the city with a scale of 1 cm = 200 m. On the map, he measures that his hotel is 8 cm away from the railway station. The map shows that the museum is northeast of the hotel, and the market is southwest of the railway station.
(a) What is the actual distance between the hotel and railway station? (1 mark)
(b) If Ravi wants to go from the hotel to the museum, in which direction should he travel? (1 mark)
(c) Name two components of a map that Ravi is using to plan his trip. (1 mark)
(d) Why is the scale important in a map? (1 mark)

Q20. Read the following case and answer the questions: Two students, Priya in Mumbai (longitude 73°E) and Arjun in Guwahati (longitude 91°E), decide to have a video call. When they connect, Priya notices that it is much darker in Guwahati than in Mumbai, even though both cities are in India and follow Indian Standard Time.
(a) What is the difference in longitude between Mumbai and Guwahati? (1 mark)
(b) Calculate the difference in local time between the two cities. (1 mark)
(c) Why do both cities follow the same standard time despite having different local times? (1 mark)
(d) Explain why it is darker in Guwahati when Priya and Arjun connect for their call. (1 mark) DETAILED ANSWER KEY - PAPER 01

SECTION A - Answers to MCQs

Ans 1.
(b) The top In a map, we look at the surface as if viewing it from the top, which is why maps give us a bird's eye view of an area. Ans 2.
(b) Scale The scale of a map shows the relationship between distance on the map and actual distance on the ground. For example, 1 cm = 500 m means that 1 centimeter on the map represents 500 meters in reality. Ans 3.
(a) North, South, East, West These are the four main cardinal directions. North is at the top, moving clockwise we get East, South, and West.

Ans 4.
(b) East to West Parallels of latitude run from east to west, parallel to the Equator. They form complete circles around the Earth. Ans 5.
(a) 0° latitude The Equator is the reference line for measuring latitude and is located at 0° latitude, halfway between the North and South Poles. Ans 6.
(b) Half-circles Meridians of longitude are half-circles that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. Ans 7.
(b) Greenwich, England The Prime Meridian, also called Greenwich Meridian, passes through Greenwich in London, England. It was established as the international standard in 1884.

Ans 8.
(c) Ujjain In ancient India, the prime meridian called madhya rekhā passed through Ujjayinī (modern Ujjain). This city was a renowned center for astronomy for many centuries. Ans 9.
(b) 24 hours Earth takes 24 hours to complete one full rotation of 360° on its axis. This is why we have a 24-hour day. Ans 10.
(b) 5 hours 30 minutes Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). When it is 12:00 noon in Greenwich, it is 5:30 PM in India.

SECTION B - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 11. An atlas is a book or collection of maps. Two types of maps found in an atlas are:

1. Physical maps - These show natural features like mountains, oceans, and rivers

2. Political maps - These show details of countries, states, boundaries, and cities Ans 12. Physical map: A physical map mainly shows natural features of the Earth such as mountains, plateaus, plains, oceans, rivers, and deserts. It often uses different colors to represent different elevations or terrain types. Political map: A political map shows details created by humans such as countries, states, boundaries, cities, and capitals. It focuses on political divisions rather than physical features.

Ans 13. Map makers use symbols because there is not enough space on a map to draw actual pictures of all buildings and features. Symbols allow numerous details to be shown clearly in limited space. Two examples of symbols used in Indian maps are:

1. Railway line symbols showing broad gauge and railway stations

2. Symbols for religious places like temples, mosques, and churches Ans 14. The International Date Line is an imaginary line located approximately at 180° longitude, opposite to the Prime Meridian. When crossing this line: • Traveling eastward: You subtract one day (Monday becomes Sunday) • Traveling westward: You add one day (Sunday becomes Monday) The line deviates in some places to avoid dividing countries into two different days.

SECTION C - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 15. Latitude affects climate because it determines how directly the sun's rays strike a place. The three climate zones based on latitude are:

1. Torrid Zone (Hot): Around the Equator (0° latitude), the climate is generally hot because the sun's rays fall almost directly.

2. Temperate Zone (Moderate): As we move away from the Equator towards the poles, the climate becomes more moderate with distinct seasons.

3. Frigid Zone (Cold): Closer to the North Pole (90°N) or South Pole (90°S), the climate is very cold because the sun's rays strike at a sharp angle. Ans 16. Local time is the time calculated based on the position of the sun at a particular longitude. Different places have different local times based on their longitude. Standard time is the uniform time adopted by a country based on a selected meridian passing through it. All places in that country follow the same standard time. Why countries adopt standard time: It would be very inconvenient for a country to use many different local times. Standard time makes communication, travel, and daily activities much easier by having everyone in the country follow the same time.

Ans 17. The ancient Indian prime meridian was called madhya rekhā (meaning 'middle line'). It passed through the city of Ujjayinī (modern-day Ujjain) at approximately 75.8°E longitude. Famous astronomer: Varāhamihira was a renowned astronomer who lived and worked in Ujjayinī about 1,500 years ago. This meridian became a reference point for calculations in all Indian astronomical texts. Indian astronomers were well aware of concepts of latitude and longitude, including the need for a zero or prime meridian, many centuries before Europe.

SECTION D - Answer to Long Answer Question

Ans 18. The coordinate system used in maps is based on two measurements:

1. Latitude: • Measures distance from the Equator (0°) • Runs east to west, parallel to the Equator • Ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90°N at the North Pole and 90°S at the South Pole • Forms complete circles around the Earth that get smaller near the poles

2. Longitude: • Measures distance from the Prime Meridian (0°) • Runs from North Pole to South Pole • Ranges from 0° to 180°E (eastward) and 0° to 180°W (westward) • All meridians are half-circles of equal length How they work together: These two coordinates (latitude and longitude) work like a grid system. Just like finding a shop in a market by knowing its row and column number, we can locate any place on Earth by knowing its latitude and longitude. Example: Delhi is located at approximately 29°N latitude and 77°E longitude. This means Delhi is 29° north of the Equator and 77° east of the Prime Meridian. These two numbers precisely identify Delhi's location on Earth.

SECTION E - Answers to Case Study Based Questions

Ans 19.
(a) Actual distance: Scale: 1 cm = 200 m Map distance = 8 cm Actual distance = 8 × 200 = 1,600 meters or 1.6 km
(b) Direction to museum: Northeast (As stated in the case, the museum is northeast of the hotel)
(c) Two components Ravi is using:

1. Scale (to calculate actual distances)

2. Direction (to find which way to travel)
(d) Importance of scale: Scale is important because it helps us understand how much real distance is represented on the map. Without scale, we cannot calculate actual distances and plan our journey properly. It allows a huge area to fit on a small piece of paper while maintaining accurate proportions. Ans 20.
(a) Difference in longitude: Guwahati longitude = 91°E Mumbai longitude = 73°E Difference = 91° - 73° = 18°
(b) Difference in local time: Earth rotates 15° per hour Time difference = 18° ÷ 15° per hour = 1 hour 12 minutes Guwahati's local time is 1 hour 12 minutes ahead of Mumbai's local time
(c) Why both follow same standard time:

Both cities follow Indian Standard Time (IST) because it would be very inconvenient for a country to use many different local times. Standard time makes communication, transportation, business, and daily activities easier by having everyone follow the same time throughout the country.
(d) Why it is darker in Guwahati: Guwahati is farther east than Mumbai. Since Earth rotates from west to east, the sun rises earlier and sets earlier in eastern locations. When it is evening in Guwahati and getting dark, it is still afternoon in Mumbai with more daylight remaining. The 18° difference in longitude means Guwahati experiences sunrise and sunset about 1 hour 12 minutes earlier than Mumbai's local time.