The Human Population - Too Many People?
World Population Data
Table A: Year 1 - 1990
|
Graphing Procedure: 1. Using data in Table A, plot the world population data from the year 1500 to the year 1990. Place the independent variable (time) on the X axis (horizontal) and the dependent variable (population) on the Y axis (vertical). Label the graph “World Population Growth 1500-1990.” 2. Create a second graph using the data in Table B. Use 5 year time intervals. Label the graph “World Population Growth 1950-2000. This graph shows the population growth during the life of typical a middle-aged person. Questions: 1. refer to Table A. At what time in history do the data indicate a negative population growth? 2. a) What causes a negative population growth? b) Which do you think played a bigger role in the population decline - a change in birth rate or a change in death rate? c) What might have caused this change? 3. Why do the two graphs appear to have a different shape? 4. When did the world’s population begin to increase rapidly? 5. The graph “World Population 1950-2000" shows the growth in population over a 50 year period. Assuming the same rate of growth, estimate the population when you are 50 years old. 6. a) How many people are added to the earth each year? b) If the natural rate of increase for the world is 1.8%, what is the doubling time for the world population? See #9 to learn how. 7. How has technology affected the growth of the human population? Give examples. 8. To complete Table C: a) Using the information in tables A and B, estimate the year that the world population reached one billion, two billion, and four billion people. Remember that 1000 million = 1 billion. b) Calculate the time it took for the population to double each time. c) Predict the year that the world population will reach 8 billion and calculate the doubling time based on your prediction. d) How has the doubling rate changed? Table C
|
|
Table B: Year 1950-2000
|
9. Look at Table D. Calculate the growth rate (natural rate of increase) of the population for each of the countries. The natural rate of increase is found by subtracting the death rate from the birth rate and dividing by ten. The doubling time is then calculated by dividing 72 by the natural rate of increase of the population. a) Is there greater variation in the birth rates or the death rates of the selected countries? b) Has any country reached zero population growth? If so, which one? c) Compare the growth rates of Canada and United States. d) Compare the growth rates of China and India. Table D
|
Year |
Grain Production (kg/ person) |
Soybean Production (kg/ person) |
Fish Catch (kg/ person) |
1950 |
247 |
7 |
8.6 |
1955 |
273 |
8 |
10.4 |
1960 |
279 |
9 |
12.5 |
1965 |
274 |
11 |
16.1 |
1970 |
296 |
12 |
17.8 |
1975 |
306 |
16 |
16.2 |
1980 |
325 |
18 |
16.2 |
1985 |
343 |
20 |
17.7 |
1990 |
336 |
20 |
18.3 |
10. At the current growth rate, how many days did it take for the world population to recover from each of the following disasters?
a) approximately 200,000 people killed by a cyclone in Bangladesh (1991)
b) three million deaths caused by a famine in India (1969-1979)
c) 260,000 people lost in automobile accidents (as of 1989)
d) 21,000,000 deaths caused by an influenza epidemic in 1918
11. Look at Table E. Many scientists agree that without limits to population growth we will destroy the planet. Some people think that the human population differs from other populations because humans can use technology. Examine the data in the chart below and answer the questions that follow.
a) Does the concept of carrying capacity apply to humans? Explain.
b) Can the earth’s carrying capacity be determined from the graphs and charts? Explain.
c) Do you think the human population is reaching the earth’s carrying capacity? Explain.