Population and Resources

What is the key difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?

• a. All non-renewable resources pollute the environment; renewable resources don't.

• b. Non-renewable resources must be refined before humans can use them; renewable resources don't.

• c. Non-renewable resources exist in unlimited quantities; renewable resources don't.

• d. Non-renewable resources exist in limited quantities; renewable resources don't.

What can you conclude from the fact that the human population is so much larger today than it was 200 years ago?

• a. Most people chose not have children 200 years ago

• b. People 200 years ago killed one another frequently

• c. People 200 years ago had better medicine than we do today

• d. People today live longer, healthier lives than 200 years ago

What might happen if the earth exceeds its carrying capacity?

• a. There might not be room for people to move around.

• b. There might not be enough food and water for everyone.

• c . The continents might sink into the oceans.

• d. Most of the people on the planet would starve.

If the world population keeps growing at its current rate, how many people might be alive in 10 years?

• a. 14 million

• b. 22 billion

• c. Between 7 and 8 billion

• d. 1.5 trillion

What is the world's most populous country?

• India

• China

• U.S.

• Mexico

Which of the following is the world's fastest growing country?

• India

• China

• U.S.

• Mexico

Malthusian Theory claims that

• population grows arithmetically while food supply grows geometrically

• population grows geometrically while food supply grows arithmetically

• population and food supply grow at the same route

• populations will adapt and find new food sources

Carrying capacity is defined as

• the number of people that can be supported with a given number of resources

• the number of resources a population can produce

• the amount of people in a given area

• the pattern of people laid out in a given area

Overpopulation occurs when

• a population exceeds its carrying capacity

• a population is less than its carrying capacity

In comparing Malthus's theory to actual world food production and population growth during the past half-century, the principal difference is that:

• actual food production has been much higher than Malthus predicted.
• actual population growth has been much higher than Malthus predicted.
• Malthus's theory predicted much higher population growth than has actually occurred.
• population increased geometrically while food production increased arithmetically.