Earth As a Whole and Geographic Coordinates the Equator to the Poles

NAME:______2

GO THERE—Earth as a whole and geographic coordinates: the equator to the poles

1a. Make sure no boxes are checked in the layers window. Use Fly To and enter the prime coordinates, 0.0, 0.0 (intersection of the prime meridian and the Equator). What is the local name for this area? (Hint: Move the pointer over the placemarker, and a name should appear).
Do you think the name is correct? Why?
How would you get there if you could go?
What is the minimum height from which you can view the area, even it the view is fuzzy?
Zoom out to an eye elevation of between 7500 and 8000 miles. Click on the Tools Folder on the main toolbar, and click on Measure. Using the measure tool, draw as vertical a line as you possibly can from the placemarker ┼ to the northernmost edge of the planet. What is the distance?
should be around 4630 miles
Based on the length of your line, approximately how far would a complete trip around the world be if you traveled along this north-south line?
about 18,400
How long would it take in a jet airplane traveling along that path if the jets average cruising velocity is 500 mph
around 30 hours depending on the length of the line
Clear the line you have drawn, and draw another line using the measure tool that extends from the prime coordinates to the eastern edge of the planet that is as level (horizontal) as you can make it. What is the length of this line?
should be around 4820
Which is line is longer—the north-south line, or the east-west line?
Based on the length of the new line, approximately how far would a complete trip around the world be if you traveled along this east-west line?
about 18,400
How long would it take in a jet airplane traveling along that path if the jets average cruising velocity is 500 mph
(around 30 hours depending on the length of the line)
Based on your observations, is the Earth a perfect sphere?
What is the difference between its north-south and east-west measurements?
Postulate a natural reason why the Earth has different north-south and east-west measurements.
Clear the line you have drawn, and redraw another north-south line using the measure tool from the prime coordinates to the northernmost edge of the planet.
Which continents does this north-south line cross?
If you were the sun in this view, would people located in towns/cities along your north-south line see the sun’s position as a sunset, sunrise, or midday?
Why?
Using the left (west) navigational button, rotate your view of the planet till your north south line is as close to the right (eastern) side of the planet as you can get it. If you were the sun in this view, would people located in towns/cities along your north-south line see the sun’s position as a sunset, sunrise, or midday?
Why?
If you were the sun in this view, would people located in towns/cities in (Brazil) South America see the sun’s position as a sunset, sunrise, or midday?
Why?
Using the right (east) navigational button, rotate your view of the planet till your north south line gets as close to the left (western) side of the planet as you can get it. If you were the sun in this view, would people located in towns/cities along your north-south line see the sun’s position as a sunset, sunrise, or midday?
Why?
If you were the sun in this view, would people located in towns/cities in Pakistan, westernmost India, and on cruise ships in the middle of the Indian see the sun’s position as a sunset, sunrise, or midday?
Why?
If you were the sun in this view, would people located in towns/cities in eastern Australia and the island nations of Samoa, Tonga, and the Phillipines see the sun’s position as a sunset, sunrise, or midday?
The sun always seems to rise in the east (the “orient”), and set in the west. If you were to look down on the north pole from a satellite in space, which direction (clockwise, or counterclockwise would the Earth’s rotation be?
A description of north south lines on the Earth’s surface such as yours seem to define a north-south belt of areas where the sun is either setting, a series of north-south areas where it is setting, and a series of north-south areas where it is directly overhead. These north-south belts are often called time-zones, and the lines dividing the globe into these north south belts are also named after the suns highest position in the sky, which is midday, or “meridian” (latin, “meri”=mid and “dia”=day). How many time zones are there on Earth?
What is the angular distance in degrees for a time zone (HINT: divide the total degrees of longitude on Earth by the number of time zones)
15 degrees
Using the left (west) navigational button, rotate your view of Earth back to its original position with your north-south line at the center of your view. In the Layers Panel, click on the borders folder. How many countries does your line cross?
Click on the view folder and click on lat/long grid. What happens to your line?
Use the north (= towards top of screen) arrow on the Navigation panel to rotate your view along your line to the north. The name of your line will become apparent as you continue to rotate your view using the towards top of screen arrow. What is the name of your line?
What is the latitude of the red dot marking Greenwich in Google Earth?
Describe the North Geographic Pole. Zoom in to about 20 miles eye elevation.
In what country is the pole, and to whom does Santa pay taxes?
Move your pointer around the circumference of an approximately 100 mile diameter circle around the pole, and pay attention to the latitude and longitude of your pointer.
Describe how the lat/long varies around the pole.
What does the variation in latitude and longitude around the pole imply about lat and longitude?