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Question
How grid is helpful to us?
How grid is helpful to us?
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Solution
Grids are helpful in pin-pointing the exact location on Earth. The actual shape resembles that of an oblate spheroid.
There are some difficulties in positioning the surface features of the earth, due to its shape. As a result there is no point of reference from which to measure the relative positions of other points. Hence grids are of great help in finding positions.
- The grid consists of two sets of vertical and horizontal lines, which are called meridians of longitudes and parallels of latitudes.
- With the purpose of fixing the locations of different features, a network of intersecting lines are drawn.
- The geographical grid is formed on the basis of two natural points of reference i.e. South and North poles, as the earth spins on its axis from West to East.
- The geographical coordinates usually refers to longitudes and latitudes, as they provide systematic network of lines upon which the position of various surface features of the earth, can be represented.
- Each minute is divided into 60 seconds ( “ ).
- Each degree is divided into 60 minutes ( ‘ ).
- Latitudes and longitudes are measured in degrees (°).
Latitudes
- The value of latitude of the poles are 90°S and 90°N, and equator is 0°.
- Parallels are lines joining the places with same latitudes.
- Parallels get smaller in size, in proportion to their distance from the equator towards the poles.
- Imaginary lines running east-west are commonly known as the parallels of latitude.
- The latitude of a place on the earth’s surface is its distance north or south of the equator.
Longitude
- Angular distance west or east of the Prime Meridian is the longitude of a place.
- Meridians of longitude are the vertical lines running north-south, join the two poles.
- They converge at a point at each pole and they are spaced farthest apart at the equator.
- By an international agreement, the meridian of longitude passing through the Greenwich observatory (near London) has been adopted as the Prime Meridian. The value given to it is 0°.
Grids are helpful in pin-pointing the exact location on Earth. The actual shape resembles that of an oblate spheroid.
There are some difficulties in positioning the surface features of the earth, due to its shape. As a result there is no point of reference from which to measure the relative positions of other points. Hence grids are of great help in finding positions.
- The grid consists of two sets of vertical and horizontal lines, which are called meridians of longitudes and parallels of latitudes.
- With the purpose of fixing the locations of different features, a network of intersecting lines are drawn.
- The geographical grid is formed on the basis of two natural points of reference i.e. South and North poles, as the earth spins on its axis from West to East.
- The geographical coordinates usually refers to longitudes and latitudes, as they provide systematic network of lines upon which the position of various surface features of the earth, can be represented.
- Each minute is divided into 60 seconds ( “ ).
- Each degree is divided into 60 minutes ( ‘ ).
- Latitudes and longitudes are measured in degrees (°).
Latitudes
- The value of latitude of the poles are 90°S and 90°N, and equator is 0°.
- Parallels are lines joining the places with same latitudes.
- Parallels get smaller in size, in proportion to their distance from the equator towards the poles.
- Imaginary lines running east-west are commonly known as the parallels of latitude.
- The latitude of a place on the earth’s surface is its distance north or south of the equator.
Longitude
- Angular distance west or east of the Prime Meridian is the longitude of a place.
- Meridians of longitude are the vertical lines running north-south, join the two poles.
- They converge at a point at each pole and they are spaced farthest apart at the equator.
- By an international agreement, the meridian of longitude passing through the Greenwich observatory (near London) has been adopted as the Prime Meridian. The value given to it is 0°.
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