Latitude and Longitude. Latitude is the distance of a point on Earth measured from north or south of...
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Latitude and Longitude. Latitude is the distance of a point on Earth measured from north or south of the equator. 90 degrees north (North Pole) Equator
Latitude is the distance of a point on Earth measured from
north or south of the equator. 90 degrees north (North Pole)
Equator 90 degrees south(South Pole)
Slide 3
Lines of Latitude cut through the earth to the middle, creating
angles.
Slide 4
How Mr. Friesen remembers: LATitude LAT sounds like FLAT So,
latitudes are flat lines running around the Earth
Slide 5
All lines of latitude go around the Earth parallel to the
equator. Finding the actual distance between the lines of latitude
involves some large numbers.
Slide 6
The actual distance around the Earth is 40, 000 kilometres. To
go from a pole to the equator is one quarter of the way around the
Earth. Therefore, the distance from the equator to either of the
poles is approximately 10, 000 kilometres. Because we know that the
90 degrees from the equator to the poles is 10, 000 kilometres, we
can easily calculate the distance involved in one degree
Slide 7
If 90 degrees equals 10 000 kilometres, then one degree is 10
000 divided by 90. This equals about 110 kilometres. If 90 = 10 000
km then1 = 10 000/90 km 1 110 km
Slide 8
Special Lines of Latitude Because the Earth tilts on its axis,
several lines of latitude have special characteristics. These are
the two Tropics and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles
Slide 9
The Tropic of Cancer is 23 degrees north of the equator, and
the Tropic of Capricorn at 23 degrees south of the equator. The 23
degrees are the amount of tilt that the Earth has on its axis
compared to the sun. This is why we have different seasons at
locations away from the equator.
Slide 10
On June 21, the sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of
Cancer; on December 21, the sun is directly overhead at the Tropic
of Capricorn.
Slide 11
Slide 12
As the Earth goes around the sun, the sun seems to migrate
between the two tropics, crossing the equator twiceon March 21 and
on September 21. In fact, the sun stays where it is and the
orientation of the Earth changes as it revolves around the
sun.
Slide 13
Slide 14
The tilt of the Earth has a strange effect on the areas to the
far north and the far south. North of the Arctic Circle, located at
66 degrees north, the sun is above the horizon for a full 24-hour
day during summer, and is below the horizon for a full 24-hour day
during winter. The number of days of complete sunshine or complete
darkness varies, depending on distance from the pole.
Slide 15
Slide 16
Slide 17
For example, 90N undergoes six continuous months of daylight
and then six continuous months of darkness, while 70N undergoes
only about two months of each. Canadas Far North is sometimes
called the land of the midnight sun.
Slide 18
The location of the two circlesthe Arctic and Antarcticare also
determined by the tilt of the Earth. We use the latitude of the
North or South Pole (90N or 90S) and subtract the 23 degree tilt of
the Earth. Thats how we know where the circles are: 66N and 66
S.
Slide 19
Longitude The lines connecting the two poles are known as lines
of longitude, or meridians. They run north and south and always
meet at the poles. Because they meet at the poles, the lines are
not parallel. The distance between any two lines changes depending
on the distance from the pole. The lines are farthest apart at the
equator and closest together at the poles.
Slide 20
The Prime Meridian is the basis from which all lines of
longitude are measured; the Prime Meridian is zero degrees
longitude. The Prime Meridian does the same thing for longitude
that the equator does for latitude. It runs through the Royal
Observatory at Greenwich (in London, England), and is sometimes
referred to as the Greenwich Meridian.
Slide 21
Longitude is measured in degrees. By definition, longitude is
the distance of a point on the Earths surface measured east or west
of the Prime Meridian. Because the Earth is 360 around, all
meridians lie between 0 and 180 east or west of the Prime Meridian.
At 180 east or west of the Prime Meridian is the International Date
Line, which lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the Prime
Meridian.
Slide 22
Slide 23
Specifying Locations Using Latitude and Longitude Can you find
something if you only know the longitude? Can you find something if
you only know the latitude? Why not?
Slide 24
With both latitude and longitude, you can find the exact
location of any specific point on the surface of the Earth. The
numbers for latitude and longitude are always given in the same
order: latitude first and longitude second. As a result, the first
figure given for the location of a place will have a north or south
designation, and the second will have an east or west designation.
For example, a mountain peak might be described as being at 51N,
97W.
Slide 25
Slide 26
Each degree of longitude can also be divided into minutes and
seconds. For example, 49 12' 30"E indicates that a location,
perhaps a fishing cabin, lies along a line of longitude 49 degrees,
12 minutes, and 30 seconds east of the Prime Meridian. An exact
location is always quite lengthy, such as 35 24' 12"S, 25 23'
1"W.
Slide 27
Northern hemisphere Southern hemisphere N N N S S S