Latitude Of The South Pole

Latitude vs. Longitude: Differences in Simple Terms

Larn what latitude vs. longitude is to get a clear understanding of what these two terms mean and what they mensurate. Effigy out what latitude and longitude mean in a articulate way through examples.

latitude versus longitude definition

Understanding Latitude vs. Longitude

If you've e'er looked at a GPS, you lot might find latitude and longitude. Only what does that mean?

Breadth is the points n and south of the equator.
Longitude is the points east and west of the prime meridian.

Still non clear? Think of latitude and longitude every bit an imaginary grid placed over the world to assistance you observe places. The equator is halfway between the Due north and Due south Poles. It's an imaginary horizontal line that cuts the planet completely in one-half. Latitude lines are imaginary lines a specific degree away from the equator going to the N and South Pole.

Like the equator, the prime number top is an imaginary vertical line that splits the world in half from the North to the South Pole. Longitude is vertical lines going from one pole to the other starting at the prime meridian.

Differences & Similarities Between Longitude vs. Breadth

Now that you lot know the definition of latitude and longitude, explore a few differences and similarities between these two.

Term:	latitude	longitude
Definition:	due north and due south of the equator	due east and w of the prime meridian
Known as:	parallels	meridians
Range:	0 to 90 degrees due north and south	0 to 180 degrees e and west
Distance from:	equator	prime number summit
Lines It Has on Globe:	180	360
Greek Letter:	phi	lambda

What Is Breadth?

When information technology comes to lines of latitude, information technology's all near the equator. These parallel lines follow the line of the equator and go from the equator to the N Pole and from the equator to the S Pole at an equal altitude, which is why they are called parallels. Latitude lines progressively get smaller and smaller until they get to the North Pole and the South Pole.

To see why this is, you could put parallel lines horizontally on a ball. Y'all'll observe that every bit you get closer to the pinnacle, the lines you create get smaller and smaller because the ball is thickest at the middle and gets thinner as yous.

Measuring Latitude for Locations

Latitude is measured using degrees, minutes and seconds (DMS), one caste is lx minutes and 1 minute is 60 seconds. Lines of latitude are measured in degrees from 0 to ninety degrees. As y'all might guess, the range is 0 at the equator and 90 at the North Pole and the S Pole. Latitude can either exist negative (S) or positive (Due north). Information technology can besides exist calculated in all positive numbers and denote Northward or Southward. Some examples of latitude include:

The Tropic of Cancer - 23.5 degrees North
The Tropic of Capricorn - 23.five degrees S
The Antarctic Circumvolve - 66.v degrees South
The Chill Circle - 66.five degrees N

The Meaning of Longitude

While the lines of latitude are parallel, the lines of longitude are not. Lines of longitude are similar to wedges of an orange. The lines of longitude run from one pole to the other in perfect wedges. These lines run up and downwardly the Globe, creating the vertical lines of the grid.

Since everything has to start somewhere, lines of longitude start at the prime number tiptop. The prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England, and goes until it reaches the antimeridian, or International Date Line, which is halfway effectually the Earth.

How to Measure Longitude

Lines of longitude are measured in degrees from 0 to 180 degrees running east and west. Like latitude, longitude is measured using degrees, minutes and seconds (DMS). The prime meridian is 0 degrees, and the antimeridian or International Date Line is at 180 degrees. When you cross the Internation Engagement Line, the day magically changes with the due west existence one mean solar day ahead of the east. Longitudes are besides positive (E) and negative (Westward) or denoted as E and W.

How to Go on Breadth and Longitude Direct

Knowing what latitude and longitude are is but half the battle. Remembering which one is which of these 50 words tin exist more difficult. When thinking of latitude remember ladder. Latitude runs horizontally beyond the earth like the rungs of a ladder. To remember longitude, recall near long. Something that is long runs vertically up and down. Y'all can even utilise this fun phrase.

Latitude is fatter running across similar a ladder.
Don't go wrong by remembering longitude is long.

Latitude vs. Longitude: Places on Earth

Latitude and longitude make GPS possible. When it comes to coordinates, they are measured in latitude and longitude using degrees. GPS is needed for meteorologists to accurately measure out atmospheric condition. Explore more about weather by looking at common types of atmospheric condition.