How does your smartphone know your location? - Wilton L. Virgo
859,715 Views
23,621 Questions Answered
Let’s Begin…
GPS location apps on a smartphone can be very handy when mapping a travel route or finding nearby events. But how does your smartphone know where you are? Wilton L. Virgo explains how the answer lies 12,000 miles over your head, in an orbiting satellite that keeps time to the beat of an atomic clock powered by quantum mechanics.
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
About TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Wilton L. Virgo
- Animator Nick Hilditch
- Script Editor Alex Rosenthal
- Narrator Addison Anderson
by SangPil Yun
SangPil Yun
Lesson completed
Is the GPS information 3D or 2D?
If it is 3D, is it possible that find out which floor it is? Because it seems like my Google Maps doesn't have something like altitude.
Comments are closed on this discussion.
Mason Juhl
Lesson in progress
it is 3d ok:)
Stanley Golphin
Lesson completed
A 3D (three dimensional) position fix that includes horizontal coordinates plus altitude. It requires a minimum of four visible satellites. Navigation mode in which altitude and horizontal position (longitude and latitude) are determined from satellite range measurements.
