No, besides the equator, any meridian (a line of longitude) can also be considered a great circle. A great circle is defined as the largest circle that can be drawn on a sphere, and any meridian fulfills this criteria.
eQuator forms a great circle because it is a circle created by the intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the center of the sphere. The equator of the Earth, for example, is a great circle because it divides the Earth into two equal halves. The shortest path between any two points on a great circle is along the circle itself.
line that goes east and a line that goes north
No. Any great circle on the earth has a circumference of about 24,000 miles. The circumference of the Arctic Circle (and the Antarctic circle too) is about 9,945 miles. Imagine circles around the North Pole. The closer to the pole the circle is, the smaller it is. If you were right there at the North Pole, you could walk a 10-foot circle around it. The Arctic Circle is a circle around the pole, but about 1,570 miles south of it. The only circle around the pole that's a great circle is the Equator.
Lines of latitude and longitude are called great circles because they are the largest circles that can be drawn on a sphere, having a center at the sphere's center. Great circles are important for navigation as they represent the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere.
No, "greatly" is not a preposition. It is an adverb that is used to describe to what extent or degree an action is done.
The Prime Meridian and the meridian of 180° longitude combine to form a great circle on the Earth. Each of them alone is a semi-circle.
If you cut all six boards at 60 degree angles, you can create a hexagon, which is analogous to a circular form.
Diametrically opposite lines of longitude and the equator are called great circles because they are the largest circles that can be drawn on a sphere. These circles divide the sphere into two equal halves and pass through the center of the sphere, making them great in size and significance.
The pattern of lines that circle the globe east-west are called lines of latitude, while the lines that circle the globe north-south are called lines of longitude. Together, they form a grid system that helps in locating points on the Earth's surface.
They don't. All you have there is one great circle and one great semi-circle, on the same spherical surface, that are perpendicular where they intersect. If you want a grid, you'll have to find an old 6L6GB or a 12AT7 somewhere.
Circle