Columbia College Geography 100: Introduction to Human Geography Hodson

Textbook Review Questions

Use the following questions as a study and reading guide for the textbook. You do not need to submit
your answers. Note that the text has a useful index and glossary in the back.

Chapter 1: Geography Matters

pg. 2-21 (stop at “Regional Analysis”), 25-29

A. Define and give an example of each.

Accessibility Tobler’s First Law of Infrastructure Site

Absolute distance Geography Intervening Situation
Absolute space Friction of distance Opportunities Socioeconomic space
Cartogram Geodemographic Isoline Spatial analysis
Cognitive distance research Isopleth maps Spatial diffusion
Cognitive images Geographic Latitude Spatial interaction
Cognitive space imagination Longitude Thematic maps
Conformal projections Geographic Map Projection Time-space
Connectivity information systems Map scale convergence
Complementarity (GIS) Physical Geography Topological space
Cultural space Global positioning Place Transferability
Distance-decay system (GPS) Region Utility
function Hierarchical diffusion Regional geography
Economies of scale Human geography Relative distance
Expansion diffusion Identity Remote sensing

B. Respond to each question in full sentence format.

1. Explain the importance and meaning of place(s).
2. Explain the idea that places are ‘socially constructed.’
3. Give an example, from your own life, of how your identity is related to place(s).
4. Explain the phrase “thinking globally and acting locally”, by using one of the examples in the text.
5. Compare and contrast human, physical and regional geography.
6. Give at least two examples of careers where geographic knowledge and skills are required.
7. What is remote sensing and give one example of its applications.
8. Why are visualization and representation important activities in geography?
9. According to 1.1 Geography Matters, why does ‘where’ matter? Explain using the example of the
‘Spiky World’.
10. What does it mean when the text says that all maps are “social products”?
11. Compare and contrast small scale and large scale maps.
12. Compare and contrast the different map projections presented in 1.2 Visualizing Geography.
13. What is GIS and what is its primary requirement? Discuss some of the applications of GIS.
14. Define and explain the five concepts that are key to spatial analysis.
15. Compare and contrast latitude and longitude.
16. Explain the differences among absolute, relative, and cognitive location.
17. Explain the importance of distance to geography.
18. Explain the differences among absolute, relative, and cognitive distance.
19. From your own life, provide one example of the inhibiting effect of distance on your own activity.
20. Describe how accessibility is a function of economic, cultural and social factors.
21. Describe the three factors which shape complementarity.
22. Transferability is a function of, or a result of, which two things?
23. Compare and contrast expansion, hierarchical, and mixed diffusion.
24. Using 1.4 Spatial Inequality, identify the Social Progress Index (GPI) for Canada.
25. What does it mean when the textbook says that we need to make a distinction between the
general and the unique when we think about spatial change?

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