Chapter 2 Flashcards
Geographic Grid: Latitudes and Longitudes
What is the definition of latitude?
Lines of latitudes are the imaginary lines joining all places having the same latitudes towared north or south of the equator
What is the range of latitude values?
Latitude values range from 0° at the Equator to 90° at the poles.
True or False: Lines of latitude are also known as parallels.
True
What is the definition of longitude?
A longitude is the angular distance of a place east or west of the Prime Meridian
What is the range of longitude values?
Longitude values range from 0° at the Prime Meridian to 180° east or west.
Fill in the blank: The Prime Meridian is located at _____ degrees longitude.
0
Which line of latitude is located at 0°?
The Equator
What is the significance of the Tropic of Cancer?
The Tropic of Cancer is located at 23.5° North latitude and marks the northernmost point where the sun can be directly overhead.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is NOT a line of latitude? A) Equator B) Prime Meridian C) Tropic of Capricorn D) Arctic Circle
B) Prime Meridian
What do we call the angular distance of a point east or west of the Prime Meridian?
Longitude
What defines a great circle?
A great circle is a circle that is drawn on the surface of a sphere (such as the earth) that has a radius equal to the radius of the sphere, whose centre is alsa the spheres centre.
True or False: All meridians are great circles.
True
Fill in the blank: A small circle is any circle on the surface of a sphere that is not a great circle, and it does not divide the sphere into equal halves. This is known as a __________.
small circle
Which of the following is NOT a great circle? A) Equator B) Tropic of Cancer C) Prime Meridian
B) Tropic of Cancer
What is the primary use of great circles in navigation?
Great circles are used to determine the shortest distance between two points on the Earth’s surface.
Short answer: Name one application of small circles in geography and define small circles
Small circles are used in mapping and defining areas of specific latitudes. Circles which do not pass through the centre of the earth are small circles.
True or False: All parallels of latitude other than the equator are small circles.
True
What happens to the size of a small circle as you move toward the poles?
The size of a small circle decreases as you move toward the poles.
Multiple choice: Which of the following is an example of a great circle route? A) Traveling from New York to London B) Traveling from New York to Miami
A) Traveling from New York to London
Short answer: What is the relationship between great circles and the Earth’s radius?
The radius of a great circle is equal to the radius of the sphere (Earth).
