Explanation: To understand why Srinagar never gets the vertical rays of the Sun, we need to delve into the concept of the Sun's declination and the Earth's latitude. The Sun's declination is the angle between the Sun's rays and the Earth's equatorial plane. This angle changes throughout the year due to the Earth's axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun.
The Tropic of Cancer, located at 23.5°N latitude, is the northernmost point on Earth where the Sun can be directly overhead at noon. This occurs during the summer solstice, which typically falls around June 21st. At this time, the Sun's declination is 23.5°N, and any location on the Tropic of Cancer will experience vertical rays of the Sun.
However, for locations north of the Tropic of Cancer, the Sun's rays will always be at an angle. Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is located at 34.0822°N latitude, which is well north of the Tropic of Cancer. Therefore, the Sun's rays will never be directly overhead at Srinagar, and the city will never experience vertical rays of the Sun.
In contrast, cities like Mumbai (19.0760°N), Thiruvananthapuram (8.5241°N), and Chennai (13.0827°N) are all located within the Tropic of Cancer. These cities will experience vertical rays of the Sun during the summer solstice when the Sun's declination is 23.5°N.
Understanding the relationship between latitude and the Sun's declination is crucial for comprehending the distribution of solar radiation on Earth. This knowledge is essential for various fields, including geography, meteorology, and solar energy engineering. It also helps in planning agricultural activities, urban design, and energy consumption patterns based on the availability of solar radiation.