Earth Science
ademola
homework2.pptx
Practice with latitudes, longitudes, maps and globes
8 questions 18 points total
(1st 6 questions are 2 points each; 7 and 8 combine for 6 points)
Due next Monday, Sept 12th before class (3 pm). Best to start after the lecture today.
PSC 1210, Fall 2020 Name _________________________________
Assignment #2
A Mercator projection, with latitudes and longitudes labeled
+180
-180
Question 1: What is the latitude interval for this map? What is the longitude interval?
The next slides use a different projection- you can use this slide to guide you with the next slides.
The Robinson projection- like most projections which give better relative areas, has curved meridians.
2. But one is straight- identify it- either with a line in power point, or pen/pencil. What is its longitude?
3. Where is the meridian which marks longitude = 180 degrees? Mark it (or label it)
4. Mark the equator (or label it) (you can use the labels on the Mercator map as guides)
This map has intervals of 20o for both latitude and longitude. Starting from the prime meridian and equator,
label the latitudes and longitudes. (remember to do both north and south).
5. Then locate and mark the following latitude and longitude combos.
64N, 20W
40S, 170E
6. What are the names of these two places?
The great circle (6 points total)
Scenario: You are planning flights from London England to the Western US. One flight goes to Anchorage Alaska,
The other flight goes to San Francisco CA.
7. Map (or sketch) these two paths on the Mercator map. Which is the longer flight according to the Mercator Map?
8. Calculate the actual distances using Google Earth (i.e. Anchorage to London and San Francisco to London). The
yellow line that it shows is close to the actual flight path used by airlines.
What are the actual distances?
How does using the Mercator map differ than using Google Earth in predicting the shortest flight?
What major geographic land feature does the Google Earth trajectory cross over? This path is called the
Great Circle and is not apparent on flat earth projections.
