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Contributor: Elephango Editors. Lesson ID: 12014
Ever wonder why it’s nighttime in one place but morning somewhere else? Explore time zones, daylight saving time, and how the world keeps track of time!
That's because the world is divided into time zones!
Time zones can be surprising, confusing, and even a little strange.
Watch the video below to see just how wild time zones can be in some places!
Now, dive in!
Great questions!
Explore the World of Time Zones
The earth is always moving. It spins on its axis while also orbiting the sun. One complete spin takes about 24 hours—that's what we call a day!
However, since only part of the earth can face the sun at a time, different places experience daylight and darkness at different moments.
The world is divided into 24 time zones, each about one hour apart to keep track of time.
That means when it's noon in one place, it might be morning, evening, or even the next day somewhere else!
For example, if you live in Denver, Colorado, you are in Mountain Time. This is one hour behind Central Time and one hour ahead of Pacific Time. So if it's noon in Central Time, it is . . .
11:00 a.m. in Mountain Time
10:00 a.m. in Pacific Time
Each time zone is based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the starting point for all time zones. Some places are ahead of UTC, while others are behind it.
Why Do Time Zones Matter?
Think about the way the earth spins. The sun doesn't move, but as the earth turns, some parts face the sun while others are in darkness.
That's why different places have different times of day!
Look at this silent video of the earth spinning.
That's what makes time zones necessary!
Fun Fact: Time Zone Names Change!
Even though time zones follow a system, different places give them different names!
Here are some examples.
The Eastern Time Zone in the U.S. lines up with a time zone in South America, but it's called Peru Time (PET) instead in Peru!
Some places have half-hour time zones instead of full hours! In India, the time zone is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of UTC.
What About Daylight Saving Time?
Many places change their clocks for Daylight Saving Time (DST) twice a year.
In spring, clocks move forward one hour to use daylight in the evening better.
In the fall, clocks move back one hour to return to standard time.
Not every place follows DST! Countries near the equator get about the same amount of daylight all year, so most don't change their clocks.
Even within the U.S., some states and regions skip DST—like most of Arizona and Hawaii.
Now that you know about time zones and daylight saving time, test your knowledge the Got It? section!
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