5. Geographic coordinates: the exact position of a point What are longitude and latitude? Longitude and latitude lines are a network of imaginar y lines that were invented so that any point on Earth can be located accurately. The number of possible longitude and latitude lines is infinite. However, usually only the main ones are drawn on maps and globes. Geographic coordinates Geographic coordinates are the latitude and longitude of a location . They indicate the exact position of any point on the planet. Latitude is the distance from any parallel of the Earth to the Equator. It can be north (N) or south (S), depending on whether that place is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. Its value ranges from 0° (on the Equator) to 90° (at the poles). Longitude is the distance from any meridian to the Prime Meridian . It can be east (E) or west (W), depending on whether that location is in the Eastern or Western Hemisphere. Its value ranges from 0° (at the Prime Meridian) to 180° (opposite the Prime Meridian). DIGITAL TASK Go to www.gps-coordinates. net and find out the geographic coordinates for where you live. WORK WITH THE IMAGE Look at the photo and give the coordinates of the Cape of Good Hope. The lines of longitude, or meridians, are imaginary lines joining the poles. They run from north to south. (13) The reference meridian is the zero meridian (0°) or Prime Meridian (also known as the Greenwich Meridian). This line divides the Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere (east of the Prime Meridian) and the Western Hemisphere (west of the Prime Meridian). The lines of latitude, or parallels, are imaginary circles perpendicular to the meridians. They run from east to west. (14) The reference line of latitude is the Equator (0°). It divides the Earth into the Northern Hemisphere (north of the Equator) and the Southern Hemisphere (south of the Equator). Other important parallels are the Arctic Circle, the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. W E S T E R N H E M I S P H E R E E A S T E R N H E M I S P H E R E 959069_01_p018_h1_Meridianos Pr ime Mer idian 20º 30º 40º 20º 30º 40º 50º 60º 50º 60º 10º 0º 10º Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Equator Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer 90º 90º 23º 27’ N 66º 33’ N 66º 33’ S 23º 27’ S 0º 40º 60º 20º 20º 40º 60º N O R T H E R N H E M I S P H E R E S O U T H E R N H E M I S P H E R E 959069_01_p018_h2_paralelos 13. Meridians 14. Parallels 18
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