How are equal-area projections of Earth inaccurate?
(1 point)
• There are distortions near the center of the map.
O Directions and the shapes of the landmasses are distorted.
O This projection does not show true sizes.
O Areas close to the poles are disproportionately large.
O Areas close to the poles are disproportionately large.
The correct option is: Areas close to the poles are disproportionately large.
The correct answer is:
• There are distortions near the center of the map.
Equal-area projections, also known as azimuthal projections, aim to maintain the correct proportions of area. However, since the Earth is a three-dimensional sphere, any flat representation will always have some distortions.
In the case of equal-area projections, one of the major inaccuracies is the distortion near the center of the map. The meridians and parallels tend to look fairly accurate near the equator, but as you move towards the poles, the distortion becomes more significant.
In addition to the distortions near the center, equal-area projections also have other shortcomings:
- Directions and shapes of the landmasses can be distorted: While the areas are preserved on equal-area projections, the shapes and orientations of the landmasses may not be accurately represented. This can lead to misinterpretations of geographic features.
- This projection does not show true sizes: Even though equal-area projections aim to preserve areas, they often sacrifice accurate representation of sizes. Some areas may appear larger or smaller than they actually are, depending on their location on the map.
- Areas close to the poles can be disproportionately large: Equal-area projections tend to exaggerate the sizes of areas near the poles. This means that landmasses in high-latitude regions can appear much larger than they are in reality.
It is important to note that each map projection has its own set of distortions and no projection can perfectly represent the Earth's surface. Different maps serve different purposes, so it's essential to select an appropriate projection based on the specific needs of a particular task or study.