Question 430Navigation General

70% to pass

On a gnomonic chart, a great circle track between Los Angeles and Brisbane will appear as a _______________.

A straight line
B loxodromic curve
C curved line concave to the equator
D spiral approaching the poles as a limit
AI Explanation

The correct answer is A) straight line. On a gnomonic chart projection, which is a type of map projection centered on a point, great circle tracks appear as straight lines. This is because a great circle is the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere, and on a gnomonic chart, great circles are represented as straight lines. The other answer choices are incorrect because: B) a loxodromic curve is a rhumb line, which appears as a curved line on any map projection; C) a curved line concave to the equator would not be the representation of a great circle on a gnomonic chart; and D) a spiral approaching the poles is not the correct representation of a great circle on a gnomonic chart.

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Official Resources
USCG Navigation Rules (COLREGS) 33 CFR Navigation Rules USCG National Maritime Center
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