How are equal areas projections of earth inaccurate
Equal area projections of the Earth are inaccurate because they distort the shape and scale of land masses. These projections prioritize the preservation of a true representation of the land areas' relative sizes, but sacrifice the accuracy of their shapes and distances between them.
When projecting a three-dimensional object like the Earth onto a two-dimensional surface, distortions are inevitable. Equal area projections, also known as equal-area maps or cartograms, attempt to minimize the distortion of the land area sizes. However, this comes at the expense of other important properties like shape, distance, or direction.
One common example of an equal area projection is the Robinson projection. While it accurately represents the relative areas of land masses, it significantly distorts their shapes and distances. This leads to misrepresentations of coastlines, elongated or compressed land areas, and distorted distances between different regions.
Another example is the Mollweide projection, which maintains accurate land area sizes but distorts shape and distorts shape and distance. This projection portrays the equator as a straight line, leading to extreme compression near the poles and stretching towards the edges of the map.
In conclusion, equal area projections prioritize the preservation of relative land area sizes but sacrifice the accuracy of shapes and distances. As a result, these projections are not suitable for navigation or applications requiring precise geographical information.
Equal area projections of the Earth, such as the Mollweide or Robinson projection, attempt to maintain the accurate representation of relative sizes of landmasses. However, they inevitably introduce distortions in other aspects of the map, such as shapes, distances, or angles. Here are the main reasons why equal area projections can be inaccurate:
1. Shape distortion: Equal area projections can distort the shape of continents, resulting in a distortion of their true form. For example, Greenland may appear significantly larger than it actually is on an equal area map.
2. Distance distortion: Equal area projections can distort the distances between different points on the Earth's surface. While the relative size of areas is preserved, the scale of the map may vary across different regions, causing distortions in distances.
3. Angular distortion: Equal area projections can also introduce angular distortion, making lines of latitude and longitude appear curved or skewed. This distortion can affect the accurate measurement of angles and bearings on the map.
4. Projection limits: The choice of projection for representing the Earth is subjective and depends on the purpose of the map. No single projection can perfectly represent the entire spherical Earth on a flat surface without introducing some form of distortion.
It's important to note that different projections prioritize different aspects, such as preserving shape, distance, or direction. Equal area projections prioritize preserving relative areas, but this comes at the expense of other aspects. Projection choice depends on the specific needs of the map and the trade-offs the cartographer is willing to make.