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Q: Why does a mercator projection exaggerate the areas of land masses near the poles?
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Does the mercator projection more accurately show the size shape or the location of the continents on a map?

Mercator projection is used on ships. It shows the correct shapes of continents but the areas are distorted. The longitude lines are parallel which makes the areas at the poles seem larger than they actually are. Hope this helps.


Why was the Mercator Map created?

The Mercator map was created in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator. The projection's creator wanted to create a map that would be helpful in navigating the world's seas. The map is set up on a useful grid. However, the map is clearly distorted! At the north and south ends of the map, Antarctica and Greenland are just two examples of landforms that appear far bigger than they should. Areas and distances are not portrayed accurately on this map


What are the main features of the mercator projection?

Mercator:Mercator projection works very poorly in polar regions and becomes undefined at the north and south poles. Historically Mercator is interesting because it is one of the oldest map projections to be used. Christopher Columbus used the Mercator projection in his travels to the new world. This projection is often used in navigation because any straight line is a rhumb line (a line of constant direction). Parallels of latitude and longitude are straight. Features increase in size as the map approaches the poles. Areas and shapes of large areas are distorted. Distortion increases away from the equator and is extreme in polar regions. However, being a conformal projection, angles and shapes within any small area are essentially true.


What are the four types of map projections?

Mercator Projection : longitude and latitude as straight, parallel lines Conic Projection : a circular map made from a flattened cone, centered on a pole or other point Gall-Peters Projection : relocates standard parallels, narrows longitudinal spacing Robinson Projection : approximates a true spherical view of the Earth, except the poles Winkel Tripel Projection : an azimuth approximation of the world view, similar to Robinson The most widely used is the Mercator projection, the major disadvantage being its area expansions (areas closer to the poles appear larger and lack their true shapes). The Gall-Peters Projection provides a closer approximation of the relative areas. All flat representations of a spherical surface will create variances in "true" size or shape. (see image links)


What is the Mercator map called?

The Earth is pretty much spherical, or "ball-shaped". Maps are pretty much flat. To display a round Earth on a flat map means that you are going to introduce some error and distortion. We can make many different kinds of maps by "projecting" the spherical Earth onto differently-shaped flat surfaces. Imagine the Earth as a glass globe with a light inside; now imagine holding a flat sheet of cardboard just touching the Earth at one point. At THAT POINT, the image of the Earth is accurately projected onto the cardboard. There are a number of different types of maps, named for the kind of projection they use. A Mercator projection imagines that you have rolled up the map into a cylinder of paper, touching the Earth at the equator. Areas of the map close to the equator will be accurately depicted, but the farther north or south you go, the more distortion you will see. For example, a Mercator projection of the Earth will depict Greenland, far to the north, as being bigger than South America. And yet, South America is much larger than Greenland.

Related questions

Why does a mercator projection exaggerate the areas of landmasses near the poles?

The Mercator projection exaggerates areas far from the equator because it is not suited to general reference world maps due to its distortion of land area. The Mercator projection is still commonly used for areas near the equator.


What is a disadvantage of the Mercator projection?

it distorts areas near the poles.


What is the main features of the Mercator projection?

Mercator projection represents rhumb lines, which are useful for navigation. It makes the areas near the poles appear very large.


What is the main feature of the mercator projection?

Mercator projection represents rhumb lines, which are useful for navigation. It makes the areas near the poles appear very large.


What is a disavantige of a Mercator projection?

One of the big disadvantages of a Mercator projection is that it cannot accurately project the areas around the north and south pole. A Mercator projection is not equally accurate in all directions, even away from the poles.


Does the mercator projection more accurately show the size shape or the location of the continents on a map?

Mercator projection is used on ships. It shows the correct shapes of continents but the areas are distorted. The longitude lines are parallel which makes the areas at the poles seem larger than they actually are. Hope this helps.


Does the Mercator projection show the size or the location of the continents more accurately on a map?

It's the location. 'A projection is a system for mapping the round Earth on a flat surface. The Mercator projection map shows the accurate locations of the continents and oceans. The land and water areas, however, are greatly distorted toward the North and South Poles.'


If the continents were drawn using a Mercator projection are the chances improved of finding a fit?

It's the location. 'A projection is a system for mapping the round Earth on a flat surface. The Mercator projection map shows the accurate locations of the continents and oceans. The land and water areas, however, are greatly distorted toward the North and South Poles.'


What are different types of map projections?

Mercator Projection : longitude and latitude as straight, parallel lines Conic Projection : a circular map made from a flattened cone, centered on a pole or other point Gall-Peters Projection : relocates standard parallels, narrows longitudinal spacing Robinson Projection : approximates a true spherical view of the Earth, except the poles Winkel Tripel Projection : an azimuth approximation of the world view, similar to Robinson The most widely used is the Mercator projection, the major disadvantage being its area expansions (areas closer to the poles appear larger and lack their true shapes). The Gall-Peters Projection provides a closer approximation of the relative areas. All flat representations of a spherical surface will create variances in "true" size or shape. (see image links)


What is a mercator projecter?

A cylindrical map projection in which the meridians and parallels of latitude appear as lines crossing at right angles and in which areas appear greater farther from the equator.conic


What are the pros and con's of Mercator projection?

Mercator:Mercator projection works very poorly in polar regions and becomes undefined at the north and south poles. Historically Mercator is interesting because it is one of the oldest map projections to be used. Christopher Columbus used the Mercator projection in his travels to the new world. This projection is often used in navigation because any straight line is a rhumb line (a line of constant direction). Parallels of latitude and longitude are straight. Features increase in size as the map approaches the poles. Areas and shapes of large areas are distorted. Distortion increases away from the equator and is extreme in polar regions. However, being a conformal projection, angles and shapes within any small area are essentially true.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Mollweide projection?

The Mollweide Projection shows areas that land masses are larger and they are larger. The disorts are shape of land and direction.