Can someone explain this?

[Misty Avich]

"Head North & you will eventually be heading South, head East you won't ever be heading West."

Can someone explain how this is possible? It's too complicated for my small mind to understand.

 

[Outdated]

East and West are directions where as North and South are specific points on the planet.

When you stand on the North Pole it doesn't matter which direction you face, every direction is South.

 

[tofino]

If you walk up to the top of the world you will come down the other side going south but if you walk east which is like going to the right, you'll always be going to the right and not the left. If that makes sense.

 

[WildCat]

OK, let's say this sphere represents the Earth, right?

If you start where the solid lines meet and go up the vertical line to the top of the sphere, then go down the dotted part of the same line, you're going north and then south. (You could also say that if you head south, you'll eventually be headed north.)

If you start at the same point where the solid lines meet, but go right on the horizontal line to the very right of the sphere and then go left on the dotted part of that line, you're going east no matter what.

It might seem like you're going west on the dotted part of the horizontal line, but from the perspective of someone looking at the back of that sphere you're still going east. That same someone will also see you going south in the first example I mentioned.

If in doubt, a compass will more than easily sort the logic out and tell you where you're headed.

 

[Hypnalis]

You can't draw a straight line on the surface of a sphere, which e.g. has interesting effects on 2D maps.

There are only two "locally stationary" points: Geographic North Pole and Geographic South pole, which are on the axis of rotation. They move a little, because the earth is not exactly symmetrical about the vertical axis, but not enough to affect normal maps.

The equivalent magnetic points are different, and are locally mobile enough to affect maps, but quite close.

The "vertical dividing lines" used for large-scale mapping are not parallel - they start and end at the geographic poles. The "horizontal dividing lines" are parallel (hence they are called "Parallels" sometimes).

Having four main directions makes sense: N & S are "pinned" because they are on the axis of the earth's rotation.
Dividing them (E & W) points along the direction of rotation (which is globally circular, but a straight line in human-scale).

If you had e.g. 6 directions, N/S could be top and bottom, but none of the other 4 would point along the direction of rotation - possible, but inconvenient.
3 or 5 main directions wouldn't work well.

 

[Misty Avich]

Interesting replies.

So if I were to walk up a big hill then back down again (without turning around) I'd be walking up the hill (north) then down again (south). But if I were to walk round the hill (without turning around) then I'd always be heading the same way. Is this right?

 

[Crossbreed]

Interesting replies.

So if I were to walk up a big hill then back down again (without turning around) I'd be walking up the hill (north) then down again (south). But if I were to walk round the hill (without turning around) then I'd always be heading the same way. Is this right?

(edit)
Yes. That is a good analogy.

~~~~~​

Q: What is the difference between the North Pole and the South Pole...?

Spoiler: Answer

A: There is a whole world of difference...!