answersLogoWhite

0

The distortion in the Mercator map arises from its cylindrical projection, which exaggerates areas far from the equator. As a result, regions like Canada and Alaska, situated at higher latitudes, appear significantly larger than they actually are compared to areas closer to the equator, such as the contiguous United States and Mexico. This characteristic of the Mercator projection makes it useful for navigation but misleading for accurately representing the size of landmasses.

User Avatar

AnswerBot

2mo ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What are the disadvantage of a mercator projection?

there is distortion at the north and south poles. The land sizes of the continents closest to the equator are smaller than they really are. But Mercator maps are very useful for sailors or pilots for finding direction.


What is a way of drawing the earth to deal with distortion?

One way to draw the Earth with minimal distortion is to use a map projection that preserves shape, area, direction, or distance - depending on the specific needs of the map. Common types of projections that help reduce distortion include the Mercator, Robinson, and Goode's homolosine projections. Additionally, using cartographic techniques such as breaking up the Earth's surface into smaller sections can help mitigate distortion.


Why are Mercator projection best used to view small areas like towns or resorts?

The Mercator projection is best suited for viewing small areas like towns or resorts because it preserves angles and shapes, making it useful for navigation and local orientation. Its distortion increases with distance from the equator, but for smaller regions, this distortion is minimal and does not significantly impact the representation. Consequently, it provides a clear and easily interpretable layout for local planning or tourism purposes.


How do you describe a mercator map projection?

A mercator map is best described as bigger and smaller portions of land than what is actually is


Would Greenland be smaller on a Mercator or a Robinson map projection?

Greenland appears larger on a Mercator map projection compared to a Robinson map projection. The Mercator projection distorts the size of land masses as they near the poles, resulting in Greenland appearing much larger than it actually is.


What areas are distorted in mercator projection?

The Mercator projection distorts areas, particularly as one moves away from the equator. Landmasses like Greenland and Antarctica appear much larger than they actually are, while regions near the equator, such as Africa, appear smaller in comparison. This distortion makes the projection less suitable for accurately representing the size of countries and continents, particularly in high-latitude regions. Overall, the Mercator projection is more useful for navigation than for depicting true land area.


Is North America and South America is bigger or Africa?

yes africa is smaller than n. america and south america together.


How is the mercator map distorted?

The Mercator map distorts the size of landmasses as you move toward the poles, making countries near the equator look smaller and those near the poles look larger than they really are. This distortion is a result of trying to represent the spherical Earth on a flat surface, leading to an exaggeration of areas further from the equator.


Is Greenland larger on a Robinson projection than it should be?

Well, Greenland is BIGGEST on a mercator projection but on a Robinson it is smaller because the lines of latitude remain parallel, and lines of longitude are curved as they are on the globe. This results in lesser distortion near the poles. So your answer is most likely, no. DEPENDING on what map you look at.


What part of the earth is squeezed into a smaller area by the Mercator projection?

A


Does the Mercator projection show the size shape or location of the continents more accurately on a mapslide2?

The Mercator projection preserves the shape of countries accurately, but distorts their size, especially near the poles. This means that countries near the equator will appear smaller than they actually are on a Mercator map, while those near the poles will appear larger.


Is distortion greater with a small scale map or a large scale map?

Distortion is greater with a small scale map because it represents a larger geographic area on a relatively smaller piece of paper, leading to more generalization and less detail. In contrast, a large scale map shows a smaller geographic area with more detail and accuracy, resulting in less distortion.