What does longitude mean for kids?

Kids Definition of longitude

: distance measured in degrees east or west of an imaginary line that runs from the north pole to the south pole and passes through Greenwich, England.

Considering this, what is latitude and longitude in simple terms?

latitude: is a geographical coordinates that specifies north south position on earth surface. latitude is an angle which range from zero degree to 90 degree ( south- north) longitude: is a geographical coordinates which specifies east- west position on earth surface.

Beside above, what is meaning of latitude and longitude? Latitude and longitude are angles that uniquely define points on a sphere. Latitudes of +90 and -90 degrees correspond to the north and south geographic poles on the earth, respectively. Longitude is defined in terms of meridians, which are half-circles running from pole to pole.

Hereof, what is longitude in simple terms?

Longitude is a way to say where a place is on the Earth. It is measured starting from an imaginary north-south line called the Prime Meridian. (A meridian is an imaginary line drawn from the North Pole to the South Pole.) Longitude is measured using degrees, the same way an angle ihs.

What is an example of longitude?

Longitude is the angular distance of a place east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England. For example, New York and Miami have almost exactly the same longitudes: around 80 degrees west. Berlin on the other hand has a longitude of 13 degrees east. Beijing, China, has a longitude of 116 degrees east.

23 Related Question Answers Found

Which way is longitude?

Lines of longitude, called meridians, run in a north-south direction from pole to pole. Longitude is the angular measurement of a place east or west of the prime meridian.

What is a prime meridian for kids?

The prime meridian is the imaginary line that divides Earth into two equal parts: the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. The prime meridian is also used as the basis for the world's time zones. The prime meridian appears on maps and globes. It is the starting point for the measuring system called longitude.

Are longitude lines parallel?

Lines of longitude, also called meridians, run north - south. Meridians are farthest apart at the equator, and converge at the North and South Poles. The longitude of a particular location is the distance along a parallel, measured in degrees, between that place and the prime meridian.

What is the equator for kids?

The Equator is an imaginary circle around Earth. It divides Earth into two equal parts: the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. It runs east and west halfway between the North and South poles. The distance around the Equator is about 24,900 miles (40,000 kilometers).

How many lines of longitude are there?

There are 360 degrees of longitude and the longitude line of 0 degrees is known as the Prime Meridian and it divides the world into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere (-180 degrees degrees of longitude west and 180 degrees of longitude east).

What are lines of latitude for kids?

Latitude and longitude are a system of lines used to describe the location of any place on Earth. Lines of latitude run in an east-west direction across Earth. Lines of longitude run in a north-south direction.

Is longitude horizontal?

One measures the distance from the equator, the other from the Prime Meridian. This illustration of Earth is overlaid with a grid of latitude and longitude. The horizontal lines are latitude and the vertical lines are longitude.

What are the 2 main lines of longitude?

The Equator, Tropics, and Prime Meridian. Four of the most significant imaginary lines running across the surface of Earth are the equator, the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Prime Meridian.
The Equator.
The Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Prime Meridian.

What is 0 degrees longitude called?

Zero degrees latitude is the line designating the Equator and divides the Earth into two equal hemispheres (north and south). Zero degrees longitude is an imaginary line known as the Prime Meridian.

What is another word for longitude?

Noun. ? Angular distance measured west or east of the prime meridian. meridian.

How far is a degree of longitude?

Each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) apart. The range varies (due to the earth's slightly ellipsoid shape) from 68.703 miles (110.567 km) at the equator to 69.407 (111.699 km) at the poles. This is convenient because each minute (1/60th of a degree) is approximately one [nautical] mile.

What are the major lines of longitude?

Major lines of longitude are the Prime Meridian, which passes through Greenwich, England. This is identified as 0 degrees longitude. It's opposite through the Pacific Ocean is 180 degrees longitude, which generally doubles as the international date line.

Where is 180 degrees longitude?

The 180th meridian or antimeridian is the meridian 180° both east and west of the Prime Meridian, with which it forms a great circle dividing the earth into the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. It is common to both east longitude and west longitude.

How do you determine longitude?

Because one day is 24 hours long one can easily use time to calculate longitude. One hour of time difference corresponds to 15° of longitude (360°/24 hours = 15°/hour). Suppose an observer sets his accurate watch to 12:00 at noon in Greenwich, England and then travels a great distance.

How do you find the coordinates of a place?

Enter coordinates to find a place

On your computer, open Google Maps.
In the search box at the top, type your coordinates. Here are examples of formats that work: Degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS): 41°24'12.2"N 2°10'26.5"E.
You'll see a pin show up at your coordinates.

What are the lines of latitude called?

The lines of latitude are called parallels or also commonly referred to as the parallels of latitude.

What is a minute of latitude?

One minute of latitude equals one nautical mile and degrees of latitude are 60 nm apart. The distance between degrees of longitude isn't constant because they converge towards the poles.