Final answer:
China is typically 12 hours ahead of Atlanta which operates on Eastern Time, but during Daylight Saving Time, China is 11 hours ahead. These differences are due to standardized global time zones and the effect of the International Date Line on travel and time.
Step-by-step explanation:
China is ahead of Atlanta by several hours due to the standardized global time zones. Atlanta is in the Eastern Time Zone (ET), while China has chosen to use a single time zone for the whole country, which is Beijing time and corresponds to the China Standard Time (CST). Typically, ET is 12 hours behind CST, meaning that when it is noon in Atlanta, it is already midnight in China. However, during Daylight Saving Time, Atlanta moves one hour forward, which would make China only 11 hours ahead of Atlanta.
Additionally, the concept of the International Date Line highlights that as one travels eastward, time advances. Upon completing a trip around the world towards the east, one would set their watch ahead by 24 hours, thus gaining a day.