A time zone is a region of the Earth that has the same standard time. The world is divided into 24 time zones, each typically one hour apart. This system helps people coordinate activities, like work and travel, across different areas. For example, when it's noon in New York, it's 9 AM in Los Angeles because they are in different time zones. Time zones are based on the position of the Earth relative to the Sun. As the Earth rotates, different parts experience daylight and darkness at different times. This is why we have to adjust our clocks when traveling or communicating with people in other parts of the world.