As one moves across the globe, the duration of day and night changes with latitude. The difference in the duration of day and night increases as one moves from which region toward which region?

Introduction / Context:
The relative length of day and night at a place on earth depends on its latitude. Understanding how this variation changes from the equator to the poles is a fundamental part of physical geography. This question asks in which direction the difference between day and night duration increases as we move across the globe.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are considering the difference in duration between day and night.
• The variation is being tracked as one moves from one region of the earth to another.
• Options describe movement across longitude or latitude directions.
• We must identify the correct pair of starting and ending regions where this difference increases.

Concept / Approach:
At the equator, day and night are almost equal in length throughout the year, roughly twelve hours each. As we move toward higher latitudes, the tilt of the earth axis causes larger seasonal differences in daylight. Near the poles, there can be very long days in summer and very long nights in winter, including polar day and polar night. Thus, the difference in day and night duration is smallest at the equator and becomes greater toward the poles. The correct description is therefore from equator to poles.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall conditions at the equator, where day and night are nearly equal in length all year, with minimal variation. Step 2: Consider mid latitudes, where the difference between summer days and winter nights becomes noticeable, but not extreme. Step 3: Think about polar regions, where there can be continuous daylight for months in summer and continuous darkness for months in winter. Step 4: This pattern shows that the difference in day and night duration grows as we move from low latitudes to high latitudes. Step 5: Therefore, the difference increases as we move from equator to poles, not in the other stated directions.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling specific examples. At locations near the equator, like Singapore or Nairobi, the length of day and night remains close to twelve hours year round. In contrast, places like Norway or Alaska experience midnight sun in summer and very short days in winter, showing extreme variation. This confirms that higher latitudes closer to the poles have greater day night differences. Movements east to west across the same latitude do not change the length of day, only the local time zone.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• West to East: Moving along a parallel (same latitude) changes time zone, not the relative length of day and night.
• East and west of the prime meridian: This also refers mainly to longitude and time, not to day night duration differences.
• Poles to equator: The opposite is true; as you move from poles to equator, the difference in length of day and night decreases.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse changes in time zones with changes in the physical length of day and night. Another mistake is to misinterpret the direction, believing that the greatest variation occurs near the equator because of intense sunlight, which is incorrect. To avoid such errors, always remember that latitude controls the sun apparent path in the sky and hence the duration of daylight, while longitude mainly affects the local clock time.

Final Answer:
The difference in the duration of day and night increases as one moves from the Equator to the poles.