Which type of projection superimposes a cone over the sphere of the earth?

The correct answer is conical projection because this type of map projection involves placing a cone over the sphere of the Earth. In a conical projection, the surface of the Earth is projected onto the cone. When the cone is unwrapped, it creates a flat map that preserves certain properties, such as area or angles, depending on the specific conical projection used. These projections are particularly useful for mapping mid-latitude regions where they can accurately depict the shape and area of geographical features.

In comparison, a cylindrical projection wraps the Earth in a cylinder, resulting in a different representation that distorts areas near the poles. Azimuthal projections, on the other hand, project the Earth's surface onto a flat plane, pinpointing a central point and expanding outward radially, typically used for polar maps. Stereographic projection involves projecting points from a sphere onto a plane via a specific point on the sphere, mainly used for its property of preserving angles. Thus, conical projection is specifically defined by the use of a cone in mapping the Earth.