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It is a circle because, the earth is a circle, and the equator stretches all the way around the earth.

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Which parallel of latitude are a great circle?

The parallels themselves are oriented in the east-west direction. They're parallel to one another, as well as to Earth's equator. What "latitude" denotes, however, is how far north or south of the equator you are. If you're located at 1° N, you're about 69 miles north of the equator. If you're at 89° N, you're about 69 miles from the North Pole. I said "about 69 miles" there because it's not exactly 69.000 miles, AND because it varies a tiny bit, due to Earth bulging out a tiny bit at the equator (because it's spinning at 1000 MPH). But don't let anyone tell you Earth is oval, because this bulge is something that we can measure. To look at it, no one would know it wasn't a perfect sphere.


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.


What are the three names for the equator?

Well, there is only one equator on Earth and its called the "Equator".


Which parallel of latitude are great circles?

All parallels of latitude, except for the Equator, are not great circles. Great circles are the largest circles that can be drawn on a sphere and pass through its center, whereas small circles do not pass through the center of the sphere.


Is the equator the only meridian that is a great circle?

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.

Related Questions

Name the latitude that is truly a great circle?

The equator is the only parallel of latitude that's a great circle.In fact, it's the only locus of any constant coordinate that's a great circle,since the meridians of longitude are all semi-circles.


What is the only line of latitude that is the great circle?

The equator .


Which parallel of latitude are a great circle?

The parallels themselves are oriented in the east-west direction. They're parallel to one another, as well as to Earth's equator. What "latitude" denotes, however, is how far north or south of the equator you are. If you're located at 1° N, you're about 69 miles north of the equator. If you're at 89° N, you're about 69 miles from the North Pole. I said "about 69 miles" there because it's not exactly 69.000 miles, AND because it varies a tiny bit, due to Earth bulging out a tiny bit at the equator (because it's spinning at 1000 MPH). But don't let anyone tell you Earth is oval, because this bulge is something that we can measure. To look at it, no one would know it wasn't a perfect sphere.


Is the equator the only line of latitude that is a great circle?

Yes


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.


What line of latitude is a great circle?

The equator (zero latitude) is the only one.


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.


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.


What are the three names for the equator?

Well, there is only one equator on Earth and its called the "Equator".


Which parallel of latitude are great circles?

All parallels of latitude, except for the Equator, are not great circles. Great circles are the largest circles that can be drawn on a sphere and pass through its center, whereas small circles do not pass through the center of the sphere.


THE equator is the only line of latitude that is a great circle why?

The reason is because it is in the middle of the earth so it makes the biggest, most round circle, (around the Earth). it has the farthest to go around thus creating a perfectly round circle of latitude around Earth........................(i'm 13)


Why is the equator called the great circles?

The reason they call the equator the great circle is because circles the whole earth in the middle.becase its the only line that runs in the centre of the earth and goes right arround . {nickstar}