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The equator is a great circle. Meridians of longitude that cross over the north and south poles are also great circles. For every location on a great circle, it's antipodal location is also on the circle. Other than the equator itself, any great circle crosses the equator at two antipodal locations, 180° apart. Other than the equator and meridians of longitude that run due north and south, any great circle reaches it's maximum latitudes at two locations that are 90° of longitude east and west of the two locations where the great circle crosses the equator.
Yes, since the intersecting plane that hypothetically forms the equator would cut through the center of the sphere.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoAll meridians of longitude are semi-great-circles. Each one spans between the north
and south poles, and the other half of the great circle marks a different longitude.
The equator and all other parallels of latitude are circles, but only the equator is
a 'great' one.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoNo, it only runs from the north pole to the south pole. the circle it would have formed if it run all the way round the Earth becomes the 180 degree meridian (or international date line) on the other side of the planet.
To understand this you need to move your 'imaginary' point of observation to be above the north pole. From this viewpoint the Earth would look like a circle with the pole in the middle and the meridians divide the circle up in 10 degree sections (like two protractors held back to back). There are of cause 36 of these sections in the circle and opposite the 0/360 degree point you find the 180 degree point. Thus a point on one side is always 180 degrees apart from its opposite.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYes, exactly. Every meridian of longitude is a semi-circle that joins the poles.
The Prime Meridian, in combination with the 180-degree meridian, form a complete 'great' circle.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoNo. Circles don't have ends, but The Prime Meridian does.
It begins and ends at the earth's poles, and passes through Greenwich.
So the Prime Meridian ... and every other meridian of longitude ... is 1/2 of a great circle.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThe equator is slightly longer due to the earth being a little flattened at the poles.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe equator is a parallel of latitude, not a meridian.
Yes, it's the only parallel that's a great circle.
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What are the three names for the equator?
Well, there is only one equator on Earth and its called the "Equator".
Why diametrically opposite lines of longitude and equator are called great circles?
A 'great circle' is any circle on the surface of a sphere that has its center at the center of the sphere. The equator is the only parallel of latitude that's a great circle. Every meridian of constant longitude is a semi-circle, and together with the one directly opposite it, they form a great circle. The shortest distance between two points on a sphere is the piece of the great circle through them.
Why all meridians of longitude are semi-great-circles?
-- Each meridian joins the north and south poles, making it a semi-circle. -- The center of the circle of which it is a semi is at the center of the Earth, making it a 'great' one. Among parallels of latitude, only the equator is a great circle.
Why are lines of latitude and longitude called great circles?
They're not. A "great circle" is a circle drawn on a sphere that has its center at the center of the sphere. -- The only line of latitude that's a great circle is the equator. None of the others are. -- Each meridian of longitude is 1/2 of a great circle. In order to form a complete great circle, you have to glue it together with the other meridian of longitude that's directly opposite it on the other side of the globe. Like the Prime Meridian and 180° longitude, or 34° east longitude and 146° west longitude.
Are lines of longitude semicircles?
Paired lines of longitude (a line and its partner 180 degrees of longitude away) are great circles. A great circle is a circumference of the planet, whereas a small circle is a circular path (slice of a sphere) that does not circumscribe the sphere.
The prime meridian and the make a complete circle around the earth?
The Prime Meridian and the meridian of 180° longitude combine to forma great circle on the Earth. Each of them alone is a semi-circle.Every parallel of latitude also circles the Earth completely, but among those,only the equator is a great circle.
What are the three names for the equator?
Well, there is only one equator on Earth and its called the "Equator".
Why diametrically opposite lines of longitude and equator are called great circles?
A 'great circle' is any circle on the surface of a sphere that has its center at the center of the sphere. The equator is the only parallel of latitude that's a great circle. Every meridian of constant longitude is a semi-circle, and together with the one directly opposite it, they form a great circle. The shortest distance between two points on a sphere is the piece of the great circle through them.
Why all meridians of longitude are semi-great-circles?
-- Each meridian joins the north and south poles, making it a semi-circle. -- The center of the circle of which it is a semi is at the center of the Earth, making it a 'great' one. Among parallels of latitude, only the equator is a great circle.
Why are lines of latitude and longitude called great circles?
They're not. A "great circle" is a circle drawn on a sphere that has its center at the center of the sphere. -- The only line of latitude that's a great circle is the equator. None of the others are. -- Each meridian of longitude is 1/2 of a great circle. In order to form a complete great circle, you have to glue it together with the other meridian of longitude that's directly opposite it on the other side of the globe. Like the Prime Meridian and 180° longitude, or 34° east longitude and 146° west longitude.
Are lines of longitude semicircles?
Paired lines of longitude (a line and its partner 180 degrees of longitude away) are great circles. A great circle is a circumference of the planet, whereas a small circle is a circular path (slice of a sphere) that does not circumscribe the sphere.
What is the only line of latitude that is the great circle?
The equator .
Is the equator the only line of latitude that is a great circle?
Yes
Why is the equator the only parallel that is a great circle?
It is a circle because, the earth is a circle, and the equator stretches all the way around the earth.
Are meridians halves of small circle?
-- Each meridian joins the north and south poles, making it a semi-circle. -- The center of the circle of which it is a semi is at the center of the Earth, making it a 'great' one. Among parallels of latitude, only the equator is a great circle.
What is one thing between a meridian and the equator?
The only one thing between a meridian and the equator that I can think of is distance. Of course the equator itself is a meridian in which case there is no distance between.
Is the Tropic of Cancer a great circle?
No; neither of the tropics is a great circle. The only line of latitude that is a great circle is the equator. The arctic and antarctic circles are not great circles, either.
