Meridian

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/meridian

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the prime meridian?Designated as 0 degrees longitude, passing through Greenwich, London
2. What is the international meridian conference?Held in 1884, established the Prime Meridian and standardized time zones
3. Why is the Prime Meridian important?The Prime Meridian is the 0‑degree line chosen in 1884. It lets everyone use the same starting point for measuring longitude and for setting time. It also helped create the 24 time zones we use today.
4. How do meridians help us find our location?GPS satellites send signals to your phone. By comparing the signals from several satellites, the phone calculates your latitude and longitude. The longitude tells you how far east or west you are from the Prime Meridian.

Longitude: Angular distance, measured in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian, defining a location's position on Earth.
Prime Meridian: The meridian of 0 degrees longitude, serving as the reference line for the Earth's longitudinal measurement and time zone system.
Geodesy: The scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a time-varying three-dimensional space.