(a) Describle any four ways in which lines of longitude are different from lines of latitude (b) Calculate the approximate distance in a straight line betwe...
Question 1 Report
(a) Describle any four ways in which lines of longitude are different from lines of latitude
(b) Calculate the approximate distance in a straight line between Tema (Latitude 6°N) and London (Latitude 52°N) (Show all workings clearly)
Answer Details
(a) Four differences between lines of longitude and lines of latitude
| Lines of longitude (meridians) | Lines of latitude (parallels) |
|---|---|
| Run in a north-south direction, joining the poles. | Run in an east-west direction. |
| They are all equal in length (each a great semicircle). | They are unequal in length; the Equator is longest and they shorten toward the poles. |
| Measured in degrees east or west of the Prime (Greenwich) Meridian, up to 180. | Measured in degrees north or south of the Equator, up to 90. |
| They converge (meet) at the poles and are widest apart at the Equator. | They are parallel to one another and never meet. |
(b) Straight-line distance between Tema (6 degrees N) and London (52 degrees N)
Both places lie on (or near) the same meridian, so the distance is measured along a line of longitude. The difference in latitude is:
\[ 52^{\circ} - 6^{\circ} = 46^{\circ} \]Along a meridian, 1 degree of latitude = 111 km (approximately). Therefore:
\[ \text{Distance} = 46 \times 111 \text{ km} \] \[ = 5{,}106 \text{ km} \]The approximate straight-line distance is 5,106 km. (Using 110 km per degree gives \(46 \times 110 = 5{,}060\) km.)
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