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Because the parallels of latitude are imaginary lines drawn on the Earth's surface, and, you may have noticed, cross sections of the Earth itself decrease in diameter as the cutting plane moves toward the poles.

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Lines of latitude decrease in size as they move towards the poles because the Earth is a sphere, and the lines of latitude are parallel circles around the globe. As you move towards the poles, these circles become smaller as they converge towards a point at the poles. This decrease in size is due to the diminishing circumference of the Earth at higher latitudes.

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Q: Why do lines of latitude decrease in size as they move towards the poles?
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Do lines of latitude shorten towards the poles?

No, lines of latitude do not shorten towards the poles. Lines of latitude are parallel to each other and are the same distance apart from each other at any point on Earth.


What do lines of latitude do as they get closer to the poles?

As lines of latitude get closer to the poles, they get shorter in length and converge towards a point at the poles. This is because the Earth is a sphere, and the lines of latitude represent circles around the Earth. The lines of latitude are farthest apart at the equator and gradually come together towards the poles.


Why does the distance between 1 degree longitude decrease from the equator towards the poles?

The distance between 1 degree of longitude decreases towards the poles due to the convergence of the lines of longitude at the poles, which are closer together compared to at the equator. This happens because the Earth is a sphere and not flat, and the lines of longitude converge towards the poles.


Why does the length of a parallel decrease toward the poles?

You may be thinking of the distance between lines of longitude. The length of the lines of latitude decrease because the Earth is round, so the length of the line is shorter at the poles than it is at the Equator. The distance between the lines of longitude is shorter as you move toward the poles, again, because the Earth is round. All lines of longitude are the same length.


How does the spacing of parallels change as you move north or south?

The spacing of parallels decreases as you move towards the poles. This is because the lines of latitude converge towards the poles since the Earth's circumference decreases as you move away from the equator.

Related questions

Do lines of latitude shorten towards the poles?

No, lines of latitude do not shorten towards the poles. Lines of latitude are parallel to each other and are the same distance apart from each other at any point on Earth.


What do lines of latitude do as they get closer to the poles?

As lines of latitude get closer to the poles, they get shorter in length and converge towards a point at the poles. This is because the Earth is a sphere, and the lines of latitude represent circles around the Earth. The lines of latitude are farthest apart at the equator and gradually come together towards the poles.


Why does the distance between 1 degree longitude decrease from the equator towards the poles?

The distance between 1 degree of longitude decreases towards the poles due to the convergence of the lines of longitude at the poles, which are closer together compared to at the equator. This happens because the Earth is a sphere and not flat, and the lines of longitude converge towards the poles.


Why does the length of the parallel decreases towards the pole?

You may be thinking of the distance between lines of longitude. The length of the lines of latitude decrease because the Earth is round, so the length of the line is shorter at the poles than it is at the Equator. The distance between the lines of longitude is shorter as you move toward the poles, again, because the Earth is round. All lines of longitude are the same length.


Are lines of latitude perpendicular parallel or intersecting?

Lines of latitude are horizontal and run parallel to the poles


Why does the length of a parallel decrease toward the poles?

You may be thinking of the distance between lines of longitude. The length of the lines of latitude decrease because the Earth is round, so the length of the line is shorter at the poles than it is at the Equator. The distance between the lines of longitude is shorter as you move toward the poles, again, because the Earth is round. All lines of longitude are the same length.


How does the spacing of parallels change as you move north or south?

The spacing of parallels decreases as you move towards the poles. This is because the lines of latitude converge towards the poles since the Earth's circumference decreases as you move away from the equator.


Who far apart are the longitude lines?

Longitude lines are farthest apart at the equator, where the distance between them is about 69 miles (111 kilometers). As you move towards the poles, the longitude lines converge until they meet at the poles.


Which lines meet at the poles latitude or longitude?

longitude


Why is the graduation or scale of measurement of latitude from the equator to the pole is not the same of different?

The graduation or scale of measurement of latitude from the equator to the poles is not the same because the Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid. As you move from the equator towards the poles, the lines of latitude get closer together due to the decreasing circumference of the Earth. This means that the distance covered by each degree of latitude decreases towards the poles.


Do the circles formed by the lines of latitude get smaller as they get closer to the North and South Poles?

Yes, the circles formed by the lines of latitude get smaller as they get closer to the North and South Poles. This is because the lines of latitude are parallel to each other, so as they approach the poles, they shrink in size until they reach a point at the poles themselves.


Is it true that the lines of latitude called meridians never touch?

No, this statement is false. Meridians are lines of longitude that converge at the poles, meaning they touch at the poles. Lines of latitude, however, like the equator, never intersect and are always parallel to each other.