What is the difference between Meridian and parallel?

Decoding Earth’s Grid: Meridians and Parallels Explained Simply

Ever tried to pinpoint a spot on a map and felt utterly lost? That’s where meridians and parallels come to the rescue. Think of them as Earth’s own GPS coordinates, a grid of imaginary lines that help us locate any place on the planet. They might sound a bit technical, but understanding the difference is actually pretty straightforward, and honestly, kind of cool.

So, what are parallels, exactly? Well, imagine slicing the Earth horizontally, like rings around a globe. These rings, running east to west, are parallels, also known as lines of latitude. The biggest and most important one is the Equator. It’s like the Earth’s belt, sitting at 0° latitude and splitting our planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Latitude is measured in degrees, starting at 0° at the Equator and going all the way up to 90° North at the North Pole and 90° South at the South Pole. Easy peasy!

• Parallels run from east to west, plain and simple.
• They’re like train tracks; they run alongside each other and never meet.
• Each degree of latitude is about 69 miles apart – give or take a bit.
• You’ve probably heard of the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn, or the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. These are all key parallels, each marking a significant point on the globe.

Now, let’s talk meridians. These are the lines that run vertically, from the North Pole straight down to the South Pole. Unlike parallels, they’re not all running alongside each other. Instead, they all squeeze together at the poles, like segments of an orange. The Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England, is the starting line for measuring longitude. It’s like the Earth’s handshake with time! Longitude is measured in degrees, east or west of the Prime Meridian, from 0° to 180° in each direction.

• Meridians run from north to south, like clock hands pointing towards the poles.
• They all meet up at the North and South Poles, a bit like the top and bottom of a globe.
• The distance between meridians is widest at the Equator but shrinks as you head towards the poles.
• The Prime Meridian splits the world into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Okay, let’s break down the key differences in a simple table:

FeatureParallel (Latitude)Meridian (Longitude)DirectionRuns east to westRuns north to southIntersectionNever meetsMeets at the polesLengthChanges; longest at the EquatorRoughly the same length for allParallelismRuns alongside each otherConverges at the polesMeasurementNorth or South of the EquatorEast or West of the Prime MeridianKey ReferenceEquator (0°)Prime Meridian (0°)