What critical function does a great circle serve for distance planning?

Answer

It marks the shortest path between two points on the sphere.

The primary importance of any great circle lies in its geometrical function as the shortest distance marker between any two points lying on the surface of the sphere. This principle is crucial in practical applications like long-distance flight planning or sea voyages. The shortest feasible route is not visualized as a straight line on a traditional flat map projection, but rather as an arc segment tracing along a great circle connecting the departure and arrival locations. Paths traced along smaller circles on the sphere (which do not intersect the center) will inherently yield longer distances between the same two endpoints.

What critical function does a great circle serve for distance planning?

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What Are Great Circles On A Sphere? - Physics Frontier - YouTube

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