What are the limits of the tropic climate zone?

• A. The Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer
• B. The Equator to the Tropic of Cancer
• C. The Tropic of Capricorn to the Arctic Circle
• D. The Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn

Answer: (D)

The tropical climate zone is defined by being between the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south. These two latitudinal lines mark the furthest points north and south where the sun can be directly overhead at some time during the year, which gives consistently warm temperatures across the year. So the limits are from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn.

Other options place boundaries outside this range or omit one of the tropical limits, which is why they don’t match how the tropical zone is defined. For example, including the Arctic Circle stretches into temperate or polar areas, while starting at the Equator or ending at the Arctic Circle leaves out part of the actual tropical belt.