Tropics
Tropics
Tropics (/ˈtrɒpɪks/), derived from the Greek word "tropos" meaning turn, refers to the region of the Earth surrounding the equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23.4° north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at 23.4° south.
Etymology
The term "tropics" comes from the Greek "τροπικός" (tropikos), which means "turning", referring to the sun's turning at the solstices. The Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn were named because the sun appears to "turn" at these points.
Related Terms
- Equator: An imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres.
- Tropic of Cancer: The parallel of latitude that is approximately 23.4° north of the equator and that is the northernmost latitude reached by the overhead sun.
- Tropic of Capricorn: The parallel of latitude that is approximately 23.4° south of the equator and that is the southernmost latitude reached by the overhead sun.
- Solstice: Either of the two times in the year, the summer solstice and the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marked by the longest and shortest days.
- Latitude: The angular distance of a place north or south of the earth's equator, usually expressed in degrees and minutes.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tropics
- Wikipedia's article - Tropics
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