Problem 6 What are the names of lines of e... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 15: Problem 6

What are the names of lines of equal (a) longitude and (b) latitude?

Short Answer

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Lines of equal longitude are called meridians; lines of equal latitude are called parallels.

Step by step solution

Understanding Lines of Longitude

Lines of longitude, also called meridians, are imaginary lines that form half-circles stretching from the North Pole to the South Pole. These lines help determine the angular distance east or west from the Prime Meridian, which is located at Greenwich, England. Every line of longitude is equally distant from the next at the equator.

Understanding Lines of Latitude

Lines of latitude, also known as parallels, are imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator. These lines help measure the angular distance north or south from the equator. Unlike lines of longitude, they remain at a consistent distance apart, as the Earth's curvature does not affect the spacing of latitude lines.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Longitude

Longitude lines, or meridians, are essential for pinpointing locations on Earth. You can think of these lines as slices of an orange, extending from the North Pole to the South Pole. They measure how far east or west a location is from the Prime Meridian.
The Prime Meridian, located at 0 degrees longitude in Greenwich, England, serves as a starting point for measuring longitude.

Each meridian passes perpendicularly through the equator.
Longitude values range from 0掳 at the Prime Meridian to 180掳 east or west.

Understanding longitude is fundamental for navigation and timekeeping. Calculating a position鈥檚 longitude can help determine time zones, as the Earth rotates 15 degrees of longitude per hour.

Latitude

Latitude lines, also known as parallels, are the imaginary horizontal lines stretching across the globe. These lines are parallel to the equator, that's why they're called parallels.
Latitude measures how far north or south a point is from the equator, which is at 0 degrees latitude.

The North Pole is at 90掳 North.
The South Pole is at 90掳 South.

Parallels are drawn at consistent distances apart, unaffected by the Earth's shape. This makes them essential for climate and navigation by giving consistent and reliable markers of location. Latitude plays a major part in climate studies because different latitudes have distinct climates.

Meridians

Meridians, a key part of the Geographic Coordinate System, are the vertical lines we use to measure longitude. Each meridian runs from pole to pole. They are not parallel; they meet at the poles, which makes them unique from latitude lines.
Here鈥檚 what makes meridians special:

They measure distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.
All meridians are great circles, dividing the Earth into two equal halves.

Every meridian varies in length, but only perpendicularly at the equator. Each degree of longitude is approximately 111 kilometers at the equator, but this distance decreases as one moves towards the poles due to convergence.

Parallels

Parallels form the horizontal circles we're familiar with on maps, assisting in measuring latitude. Unlike meridians, parallels never meet; they maintain equal distance from each other across their entire length.
Some key aspects of parallels include:

They run east-west, perpendicular to meridians.
Parallels mark specific latitudes, helping divide the world into climate zones.

Each parallel, such as the Equator or the Tropics, serves critical roles in understanding Earth's geography. For instance, the Equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Parallels guide us in comprehending global patterns of wind and ocean currents, crucial for our navigation and understanding of weather systems.

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91影视

What are the names of lines of equal (a) longitude and (b) latitude?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding Lines of Longitude

Understanding Lines of Latitude

Key Concepts

Longitude

Latitude

Meridians

Parallels

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