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What is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)?

  1. The half of the world that lies east of 0 degrees longitude

  2. a round model that lets you see Earth's entire surface

  3. the time zone encompassing the prime meridian, or 0 degrees longitude

  4. Large areas of the ocean water that penetrate into a land mass

The correct answer is: the time zone encompassing the prime meridian, or 0 degrees longitude

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) refers to the time zone that is based at the prime meridian, which is located at 0 degrees longitude. This time standard serves as a reference point for coordinating time across different regions of the world. GMT is particularly significant because it helps to establish time zones that are calculated as being a certain number of hours ahead of or behind GMT, making it crucial for international travel and communication. The other options, while they relate to geography and time, do not accurately define GMT. The east of 0 degrees longitude refers to a geographical area rather than a time concept. The notion of a round model describing Earth’s surface pertains to globes and does not connect to the specific idea of mean time or time zones. Lastly, the mention of large areas of ocean water is irrelevant to the concept of time, as it does not pertain to timekeeping or the location of the prime meridian. Therefore, recognizing GMT as the time zone at the prime meridian is key to understanding its significance in global timekeeping.