Latitude, Longitude, and Maps

Cartography is the science of making maps. Use of imaginary grid of parallel and

vertical lines to give exact locations on Earth

Equator-circles the Earth halfway between the north and south poles

Separates Earth into 2 equal halves: northern and southern hemispheres

Lines that run parallel to the equator Is the distance in degrees north or south

of the equator Equator serves as the reference point

(0°) North and South Pole each lie at 90° so

latitude is measured from 0° to 90° Expressed as degrees north or degrees

south of the equator

Each degree of latitude = ~111 kilometers (km) on Earth’s surface

Broken down into smaller units (60 units = 60 minutes)

Minutes = ’ symbol Each minute of latitude = 1.85 km

Lines of longitude only

Equator added Other lines of

latitude added

E

N

W

S

Lines of longitude (called meridians) are used to locate positions east and west

Is the distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian (reference point for longitude)

Prime meridian = 0°(goes through Greenwich, England)

Points are numbered 0° to 180° (east or west) Lines of longitude are not parallel =

semicircles extend vertically from pole to pole

Lines of longitude converge at the poles, making distances covered by degrees of longitude vary with location

Coordinates: Need both latitude and longitude to give exact location **Latitude comes first in the coordinates

There are 24 times zones that Earth is divided into 24 represents the number of hours to

rotate once on its axis Each time zone represents a different hour

and is 15° wide The U.S. has 6 different time zones

Midnight marks the end and beginning of each day in all times zones

Time is lost or gained as you travel through a zone which could cause a loss or gain of an entire day

International Date Line (180°) serves as the transition line for calendar days

east = move calendar back by 1 day west = advance calendar by 1 day

The Earth is divided into 24 time zones, corresponding to 24 hours in a day.

As the earth rotates, the sun shines in different areas, moving from east to west during the course of a day.

Places that have the same longitude will be in the same time zone.