HaitiLibre Quiz

Units of measurement 1.1 EXPERT

Difficulty Level: N1 Normal
Units of measurement constitute the invisible language that structures our reality. From the atmospheric pressure that weighs on our shoulders to the lightning speed of digital data, it quantifies every aspect of our existence. Mastering these standards means decoding the laws of physics and understanding the tools used by experts to build our modern world.
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What is the basic difference between a statute mile and a nautical mile ?

50% of players answered correctly.

THE CORRECT ANSWER: The nautical mile corresponds to one minute of arc of latitude along an earth meridian

The nautical mile, is an essential unit of distance measurement in maritime and air navigation. Unlike the international statute mile which is arbitrarily set at 1,609.344 meters, the nautical mile has a precise geometric basis : it is defined as the length of an arc of one minute of latitude along a meridian.The Earth being a sphere (or almost), this measurement allows navigators to directly correlate their distance traveled with the geographic coordinates on their maps. Since 1929, its value has been officially set at exactly 1,852 meters by the International Hydrographic Conference.This difference of almost 243 meters between the statute mile and the nautical mile is crucial for the precision of trajectory calculations. Using nautical greatly simplifies navigation since, by definition, sixty nautical miles correspond to one degree of latitude, thus facilitating mental calculations during crossings.