Answer – The Tropic of Cancer is a latitude occurring at approximately 23.5° to the north of the equator, while the Tropic of Capricorn is its counterpart at approximately 23.5° to the south of the equator.
Explanation:
Much like other latitudes, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn serve the purpose of measuring distances on a globe or map. They run from east to west and occur close to 23.5° because the Earth is tilted at its axis at this angle.
The region bounded by the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south is referred to as the tropics. The equator passes through the center of this region, dividing it into two equal parts.
On June 21st, the sun is at its highest point over the Tropic of Cancer. This leads to very long hours of sunlight and fewer hours of darkness than all other days of the year in the northern hemisphere. The day is known as the summer solstice. Similarly, on December 21st, the sun is at its highest point over the Tropic of Capricorn. This causes the southern hemisphere to experience an extremely long day and a very short night compared to other days of the year, known as the winter solstice. The latitudes and hence the solstices play an important role in marking the beginning of seasons in both hemispheres.
