Question

Which of the following cities can never have the sunshine directly overhead at noon?
A. Bengaluru
B. Mumbai
C. Visakhapatnam
D. Delhi

Answer 1

Hint: Sunshine is directly overhead in places which lie on or between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. All the regions which are not present between these two Tropics do not experience sunshine directly overhead at noon.

Complete Answer:Among the options Delhi is the only place which will never experience sunshine directly overhead at noon. Sun’s rays fall directly perpendicular on the places which are present between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. All other places receive slanted rays of the Sun.

When the sun’s rays fall perpendicular on the equator it is known as equinox whereas when they fall perpendicular on either the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn it is known as solstice.

The two solstices happen in June and December. It happens on either 20 or 21 June and on either 21 or 22 December. The equinoxes happen in March and September. It happens on 21st March and on 23rd September.

The solstices are important because they mark the start of winter or the start of summer. The solstice in June in the northern hemisphere means the beginning of summer and in the southern hemisphere it means the beginning of winter. The solstice in December is just the opposite of the June solstice.

Equinoxes are important because they mark the beginning of spring or fall seasons.

Therefore the correct answer is option D.

Note: The 23.5 degree tilt of the earth along its axis is the reason why seasons occur. Without this tilt no seasons would occur and there would have been much constant weather and also climatic conditions in each latitude.