2006-09-25 01:19:00 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
If you're facing North (i.e. facing towards the North pole), East is to your right and West is to your left.
I suppose the North pole is defined as being the point on the Earth's surface which (a) has the Earth's axis of rotation sticking out of it and (b) is directly underneath the Pole star.
2006-09-25 07:01:15 · answer #1 · answered by martin48732 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
North, South, East and West are things that mankind created to help navigate. They have nothing to do with the world rotating. We have decided that East and West both end somewhere in the Aleutian Islands up by Alaska making the most eastern and most western points both in the United States.
2006-09-25 09:27:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
East and West are directions relative to a position on the earth, rather than some external field of reference, so rotating won't have any effect.
Essential (when looking from above the north pole) East means 'anticlockwise' and west means 'clockwise.'
2006-09-25 08:23:21 · answer #3 · answered by robcraine 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
surely North, East, South and West are geographical references... for the constant state of the reference. I live in a town called East Preston, Id be damned if I had to change the name every 12 hours cos it moves... dude, thats a wierd question man!
2006-09-25 08:24:17 · answer #4 · answered by Gareth G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
East & west are relative to a point on the earth...this point moves as the wrld goes round so east will remain East of it & west, west of it!
2006-09-25 08:22:41 · answer #5 · answered by Colin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
More to the point, when the earths polarity changes does East become West? Will compasses still work? Does the polarity change gradually with an ever moving north or does it just flip? If it just flips, will we feel it?
Dude your questions messed me up!
2006-09-25 10:25:55 · answer #6 · answered by Phion 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because one always looks North to start with.
Thus east is always to the right and west to the left.
This applies wherever you are.
2006-09-25 08:22:48 · answer #7 · answered by Tony M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
... and why is the Planet always shown with Europe on top?
For all we know 'our' South is actually considered up!
I guess it's just convention, and one that always makes Africa look smaller than it actually is.
2006-09-25 08:22:34 · answer #8 · answered by 'Dr Greene' 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋