Why are east and west directions not definable at the geographic poles?

Answer 1

Simply because it doesn't matter in either case.

-- Zero east or zero west puts you on the Prime Meridian either way.

(Beginning on the Prime Meridian, you may travel 0° east or 0° west,

as you prefer, and you arrive at the same place either way.)

-- 180° is half-way around any sphere. Regardless of which direction you decide

to travel from the Prime Meridian, 180° east or 180° west puts you exactly half-

way around the Earth, in the same place.

Answer 2

0 degrees longitude does not have a designation of east or west because it behaves like a mathematical zero. It is neither positive nor negative. It is simply the start. Longitudes run through the north and south poles. Therefore, 0 degrees longitude is actually on the same line of longitude on the other side of the world which is 180 degrees longitude. Since all the longitude lines work like this, 180 degrees is the highest degree of longitude that you can have. Here is where it behaves just like 0 degrees because it cannot be any larger than 180 degrees. There is no need to say whether it is east or west then.

Answer 3

Because if you are at 0 degrees at one point, you haven't gone either way so on a map you would still be at zero therefore you are not at a desegnated east or west you are still at the prime meridian

Answer 4

Technically, the north and south poles both have all possible longitudes.

The meridians or "lines" of longitude all meet at the poles. So, whatever

longitude you're at, anywhere on earth, you can stay at the same longitude

and follow it all the way to either pole.

Answer 5

At the geographic poles, all lines of longitude converge, making it impossible to determine an East or West direction. This is because the concept of east and west depends on the rotation of the Earth, which is not applicable at the poles where there is no east-west orientation.

Answer 6

Lines of longitude which would normally define east and west distances converge to a single point at the poles.

Answer 7

the map is on a flat surface but the earth is a 3 dimensional sphere. the countries on the map might be squashed or not accurate. therefore it is easy to locate the n and s pole on a globe.

Answer 8

It would be incorrect to say that the North Pole and South Pole do not have lines of longitude. ALL lines of longitude pass through the North Pole and the South Pole.

Answer 9

Because from the North Pole every direction that you move in is due South, and similarly at the South Pole.