Measuring Distance on a Globe
To measure the distance between any two points on the globe,
take a piece of string or strip of paper and stretch it tight between the two
places. Measure the distance and multiply the number of inches in your
measurement with the appropriate number of miles shown below:
| Size of Globe |
Distance Measurement |
| 9 inch Globe: |
1 inch = 880 miles |
| 12 inch Globe: |
1 inch = 660 |
| 16 inch Globe: |
1 inch = 500 |
As an example, on a 12 inch globe the distance from Boston to London measures
five inches. Five inches x 660 miles = 3,300 miles, so the distance from Boston
to London is about 3,300 miles.
Inclination
The path of the Earth around the Sun is called the Earth's orbit. This orbit
lies on an imaginary flat surface that cuts through the center of the sun and
the center of the Earth. This surface is called the
orbital plane.
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The Earth's axis is an imaginary line passing through
the center of the Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole. This axis
does not point straight up form the orbital plane. I tilts about 23 1/2
degrees from the straight up position. This tilt is called the angle of
inclination (Figure 3) and it remains constant, always tilted in the
same direction, This is the reason that the northern tip of the Earth's
axis (the North Pole) is always pointed toward the same part of the sky,
the North Star. |
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Learn about the Earth's
motion.
Learn how globes show
time measurement.
Learn about the analemma.
Learn about the
influences of sun and heat on the earth, global warming.
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1-World Global Gifts 
