Utm provides a constant distance relationship anywhere on the map. When looking at a map, latitude lines also referred to as parallels run parallel to the equator while longitude lines also referred. In the spherical system, horizontal lines, or eastwest lines, are lines of equal latitude, or. South pole antarctica north pole arctic circle view of each pole of the earth, with lines of latitude and longitude. This part of the introduction is not contained in the handout. Using the world longitude and latitude map and an atlas, answer the following questions and mark the locations. It splits the earth into a set of horizontal lines, called latitude, and vertical lines, called. This activity is also available in the following formats. A geographic coordinate system gcs uses a threedimensional spherical surface to define locations on the earth. Given coordinates, you can locate a place on a map that is referenced the world. What ocean does the prime meridian cross the equator. Be sure to mention the bases of latitude and longitude.
A gcs includes an angular unit of measure, a prime meridian, and a datum based on a spheroid a point is referenced by its longitude and latitude values. This latitude and longitude worksheet and handout will help students understand the importance of latitude and longitude and gps, how the grid works and how it is measured, and learn the vocabulary and terminology associated with the grid system we use to locate places on earth. Reteach that the city names are represented by dots, and the state names are in bold. Each location on the globe touches a line of latitude and a line of longitude.
What is the purpose of lines of latitude and lines of. Nov 21, 2019 the vertical lines on a map are called longitude lines, also known as meridians. Use latitude and longitude lines maps in the student atlas of oregon to explain the coordinate system. Longitude and latitude are the two most basic terms used in geography.
How to teach kids about longitude and latitude sciencing. It is the most important surah in the quran, and we recite it many times daily in our prayers. What is the purpose of lines of latitude and lines of longitude. If we can accurately define a location to the nearest 1. Unlike, latitudes, there is no obvious central longitude. But instead of being straight lines on a flat surface, latlong lines encircle the earth, either as horizontal circles or vertical half circles. In angular coordinate systems like latitude and longitude, the distance covered by a degree of longitude differs as you move towards the poles and only equals the distance covered by a degree of latitude at the equator. Nature of latitude and longitude in terms of xaxis and yaxis shortcut the grid on the globe serves the same purpose as does the system of coordinates on the xaxis and yaxis on a graph paper. One grid system used by cartographers is the latitude and longitude grid. Longitude measures how far east or west a point on earth lies from the prime meridian. The degree measure of latitude is the name of the angle from the equator while the parallel names the actual line along which degree points are measured.
Jan 20, 2019 latitude lines are also sometimes called parallels because they are parallel and equidistant from each other. Latitude lines are also sometimes called parallels because they are parallel and equidistant from each other. Longitude on the globe, lines of constant longitude meridians extend from pole to. Latitudes and longitudes latitudes and longitudes are imaginary lines used to determine the location of a place on earth. Well try to understand the importance of this surah in the light of different hadiths.
At their widest points, these are about 69 miles or 111 km apart like latitude lines. Notice how the lines of latitude form concentric circles, while the lines of longitude are all the same circumference. Latitude is a measurement of location north or south of the equator. The vertical lines on a map are called longitude lines, also known as meridians. Latitude and longitude lines are a grid map system too. Latitude, longitude and coordinate system grids gis. The angles often are measured in degrees or in grads. The system was developed back in the middle ages and is still in use today. They are known as parallels of latitude, because they run parallel to the equator. However, in order to measure the position of a location based on the longitude, cartographers and geographers over the course of history have designated different locations as the main longitudinal reference point. It makes it easy to identify any place on earth with a set of numbers, or coordinates. Putting latitude and longitude together putting the latitude and longitude together, we now have a nice grid and can identify any point on the earth.
The intersection point is where the traveler is located. As my students are all from new york, they generally are familiar with the system of streets and avenues, which very closely mirror the lines of latitude and longitude that are introduced in the lesson note. It is helpful to trace the lines of latitude with a highlighter before beginning. Unlike latitude lines, they taper latitude lines are completely parallel, almost as if stacked on top of each other. The prime meridian, the line of longitude that passes through greenwich, england, is the 0 longitude line. Surah alfatihah was revealed in makkah and it consists of 7 aya and 25 words there is no end to learning about surah al fatihah. World longitude and latitudes map using the world longitude and latitude map and an atlas, answer the following questions and mark the locations. Each degree of latitude and longitude is divided into minutes and seconds. Ask students if they have seen the signs that mark the 45th parallel line of latitude. They converge at the poles and are widest at the equator. Equator i if the entire earth is divided horizontally into two equal parts by an imaginary line, then that line will be called equatorial line or equator. The most important longitude line is the prime meridian which runs vertically and goes through greenwich. Two views of a globe, showing lines of both latitude and longitude.
Longitude and latitude are angles measured from the earths center to a point on the earths surface. Dec 30, 2015 latitudes and longitudes latitudes and longitudes are imaginary lines used to determine the location of a place on earth. Longitude is a similar measurement east or west of the greenwich meridian. Draw dashed lines to indicate and label the tropic of cancer, tropic of capricorn, arctic circle. Being able to plot points on a grid carries over to geometry, science, and other fields where kids have to wrestle with data. Latitude and longitude, coordinate system by means of which the position or location of any place on earths surface can be determined and described. A gcs is often incorrectly called a datum, but a datum is only one part of a gcs. Latitude latitude is the angular distance of a point on the earths surface.
It tells how far from greenwich england anyplace happens to be. Latitude, longitude, and temperature students look at lines of latitude and longitude on a world map, predict temperature patterns, and then compare their predictions to actual temperature data on an interactive map. I usually introduce this lesson by comparing the coordinate system of latitude longitude to the streets of new york city. The map grid system of coordinates, latitude and longitude, can pinpoint any location on earth. The importance of specifying the reference datum may be illustrated by a simple example. The most important line of latitude is the equator, which runs horizontally around the fattest part of the earth. Half of a longitudinal circle is called a meridian, which is where th. Longitude and latitude longitude and latitude are part of the geographic coordinate system. Longitude is the angular distance measured in degrees.
Using these two positions can help students find any location in the world. Half of a longitudinal circle is called a meridian, which is where the term comes from in the name greenwich meridian or prime meridian. Latitude unqualified should normally refer to the geodetic latitude. And the location of a place on the earth can be mentioned in terms of latitudes and longitudes. Discuss where the unlabeled lines of latitude would be placed on the map. Give your middle school student some geography practice finding latitude and longitude of cities in illinois with this fun, quizstyle worksheet. In this case, the xaxis is represented by lines of latitude and yaxis by lines of longitude.
Latitude lines run east to west, but they actually give us a location that is a certain number of degrees north or south of the equator. Your latitude determines how far north or south you are on the globe reference to the one cutting across the centre of the earth the equator which lies at 0 latitude. There is a relationship between latitude and temperature around the world, as temperatures are typically warmer approaching the equator and cooler approaching the poles. Each degree of latitude is about 69 miles 111 km apart. The following illustration shows the world as a globe with longitude and latitude values. For homework, my teacher said to write one small paragraph on the importance of longitude and latitude. They discuss how temperatures vary with latitude and the relationship between latitude and general climate patterns. Importance of knowing latitude at sea ota survival school.
Latitude and what you will learn longitude to understand the concepts of latitude and longitude reading strategy create a chart like the one below listing the importance of each of the terms in using latitude and longitude. Terms to know absolute location, latitude, longitude, degree, equator, prime meridian equator degree prime meridian. Latitude and longitude make up the grid system that helps humans identify absolute, or exact, locations on the earths surface. I usually introduce this lesson by comparing the coordinate system of latitudelongitude to the streets of new york city. Longitude, latitude, longitude, latitude, yes, i know what longitude, latitude mean. Horizontal mapping lines on earth are lines of latitude. Latitude and longitude are imaginary lines that help us label every place on the surface of the earth. If we can accurately define a location to the nearest 1 second of latitude and longitude, we have specified its. Longitude longitude lines run from the north pole to the south pole. They run perpendicular to the equator and latitude lines. A common coordinate system used to locate points is longitude and latitude.
Lesson 4 introduction to latitude and what you will learn. The equator is found at 0 degrees latitude, while the prime meridian found in greenwich, england is located at 0 degrees longitude. Latitude and longitude worksheets teachers pay teachers. What is the purpose of latitude and longitude lines. This circle of latitude stretches through eight countries, including the united states. Nothing fancy, just the intro, 3 main points, and a conclusion. Learning latitude and longitude is important, and not just for young cartographers. Latitude and longitude of oregon portland state university.
However, in order to measure the position of a location based on the longitude, cartographers and geographers over the course of history have designated different locations as. Important latitudes and longitudes leadthecompetition. If you were 50 degrees north of the equator, your latitude would be 50 n. East or west from greenwich england, wherever a place may be, longitude gives the angular distance, scientifically. General knowledge on important latitudes and longitudes and important international lines like equator, tropic of cancer, tropic of capricorn and arctic circle. The five major latitude lines are the equator, the tropics of cancer and capricorn, and the arctic and antarctic circles. That is because latitude can be calculated using the stars while the accurate calculation of longitude required accurate watches or chronometers. Some of the worksheets below are latitude and longitude worksheets in pdf, learn important vocabularies like navigation, latitude, longitude, equator, prime meridian, cardinal directions, compass and gps with exercise like using your atlas, find the latitude and longitude of new york city, philadelphia, boston, berlin, tokyo, rome. Latitude and longitude worksheet use the map to answer the following questions about latitude and longitude. Adobe pdf open document word documentnational geographic latitude and longitude lessonin preparation for mapping hurricane locationsgrades 68 latitude, longitude, and mapmaking overview. The grid makes it easy to locate any place you wish.
Give your 2nd grader some map coordinate practice with this series of fun worksheets. They are used to define the eastwest position of a location on the planet. Latitude, longitude, and temperature national geographic. Through latitude and longitude, a traveler can tell his exact position on the earth by marking one line east to west from the travelers position and another from north to south. The longest is the equator, whose latitude is zero, while at the polesat latitudes 90 north and 90 south or 90 the circles shrink to a point. Why is understanding latitude and longitude important for.
Geography student reading important facts about latitude. Latitude longitude latitude and longitude lines to. Latitude and longitude worksheets pdf dsoftschools. Longitude measures how far east or west along the equator something is located. Understanding latitude and longitude journey north. Through a handson activity using an orange or a tennis ball that represents the earth, students. Lesson at a glance students begin this lesson by creating a graphic organizer to assess their prior knowledge regarding maps. Feb 22, 2011 for homework, my teacher said to write one small paragraph on the importance of longitude and latitude.
Latitude lines run eastwest and are parallel to each other. In this figure, the black square is about 25 of the way between the latitudes 15on and 20on. This system was first invented by the ancient greek astronomer hipparchus around 190120 bc. Latitude and longitude definition, examples, diagrams. Lines of latitude on a globe of the earth, lines of latitude are circles of different size. The seven important lines of latitude are the equator at 0 degrees, tropic of capricorn at 23.