Grid System of the Earth
Lab 2
Latitude
• Latitude
• Longitude
These are used to accurately describe
locations on the Earth
Lines of Latitude
• Describes locations north and south of
the Equator (0°)
• Lines of latitude are also called parallels
• The Equator is the principal reference
line for latitudinal measurement
Longitude
Meridians
• Represented by imaginary lines extending
from the North Pole to the South Pole
• Describes locations east and west of the
Prime Meridian
• Prime Meridian (0°) is the principal
reference line of longitudinal measurement
• Ranges from 0° at the Prime Meridian to
180° on the opposite side of the world
(International Date Line)
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Geographic Grid
Minutes & Seconds
• Used when more precise descriptions of
latitude and longitude are needed
• One degree is divided into 60 minutes
(60’)
• One minute is divided into 60 seconds
(60’’)
– 63°11’34’’N
Parallels of latitude
Meridians of Longitude
Complete grid
Why are latitude and longitude
important?
• Accurately describe a unique location on
the Earth
How could you use it in everyday life?
• GPS (Global Positioning System)
– Navigation system in new cars
• Storm Tracking
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