AP Environmental Science
Mrs. Douma
Population
Name:____________________________________ Date: _____________________
HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH WEBQUEST
"Unlike plagues
of the dark ages or contemporary diseases we do not understand, the modern
plague of overpopulation is soluble by means we have discovered and with resources we possess.
What is lacking is not sufficient knowledge of the solution but universal consciousness of the
gravity of the problem and education of the billions who are its victim."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.
Worries about human population growth are not a new phenomena. A little over 200 years ago
(1798) Thomas Malthus published An Essay on the Principle of Population. He identified the
fact that the human population expansion was outpacing the production of food.
In 1804 the human population of Earth reached 1 billion, it topped 2 billion by 1927, 3 billion by
1959, 4 billion in 1972 and 5 billion by the late 1980's. On October 12th 1999, the human
population of Earth reached 6 billion. Last year it surpassed 7 billion.
Prior to 1950, the death rate was high, which kept the numbers of humans from increasing
rapidly. In the 19th Century, the agricultural revolution increased food production and the
industrial revolution improved methods of transporting food and other goods. The 20th
Century produced advances in medicine, sanitation and nutrition.
Answer the following questions using the links provided:
Click here: http://www.census.gov/popclock/
1. What is the exact time right now?
2. What is the U.S. population right now?
Click Here: http://www.demographia.com/db-2000stater.htm
3. Where is Iowa ranked among state populations?
4. What percent of people in the US live in Iowa?
Click on the topic "Animated Map" and watch: http://desip.igc.org/mapanim.html
5. Where in the world did the human population appear to start?
6. What was the world population in 1985?
7. What is the expected world population in 2020?
AP Environmental Science
Mrs. Douma
Population
"Which is the greater danger - nuclear warfare or the population explosion? The
latter absolutely! To bring about nuclear war, someone has to DO something;
someone has to press a button. To bring about destruction by overcrowding, mass
starvation, anarchy, the destruction of our most cherished values-there is no need
to do anything. We need only do nothing except what comes naturally - and breed.
And how easy it is to do nothing."
--Dr. Isaac Asimov (in this 1966 interview he predicted that world population would reach 6 billion near the year 2000, but his
prediction was conservative: we passed the 6 billion mark in October 1999.)
Most countries are trying to reduce their growth rate. Zero population growth means that
as many people are being born as there are dying. To achieve zero population growth,
each couple would need to have no more than two children (to replace the parents). Even
if this number is achieved, the population will continue to grow because the parents will
still live on for decades, as their children have children, and their children have
children...........
The rate of growth in developed nations has become more constant in recent years, while
many developing nations are still growing exponentially.
Click Here for a list of least developed countries:
http://www.un.org/ohrlls/
8. Select any two countries from the list and find the following data:
a. Country
a.
Country
b. Population.
b.
Population.
c. Surface area.
c.
Surface area.
d. Population density.
d.
Population density.
Click Here: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108121.html
9. Record the following data for the U.S.
a.
Population
b. Surface area
c. Population density.
AP Environmental Science
Mrs. Douma
Population
If the world is to save any part of its resources for the future, it must reduce not only consumption but
the number of consumers."
-- B.F. Skinner (Intro. to Walden Two, 1976 edition)
The rapid growth of the world population has led to increased demand of Earth's resources, many
of which are being consumed at rates faster than they can be replenished. One hectare (100
acres, 10,000 square meters) of tropical rainforest can be demolished in under an hour, but it
takes over thirty years for that same area to regenerate.
"The key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life - for 8 billion or more people -- without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt."
--Edward O. Wilson
Click on: http://www.geohive.com/earth/his_history3.aspx
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
What is your birth year?
What was the world population during your birth year?
What was the world population on you first birthday?
What was the gain in world population your first year?
What was the world population in 2014?
What is the projected world population for 2015
What is the expected gain in population this year?
What is happening to world population growth?
Go back to the US population data: http://www.census.gov/popclock/
18. What is the exact time right now?
19. How many minutes have elapsed since you answered question # 2?
20. What is the US population right now?
21. What was the gain in US population while you have been working on this activity?
22. What has been the gain in population per minute over this activity?
23. What was the population gain per second over this activity?
24. How does this compare with the stated gain per second on the census web site?