Human Population Growth Computer Lab Activity Note: Most information for this activity was taken from http://www.shenet.org/high/hsacaddept/science/jstdenis/human_population_growth_web_quest.htm Worries about human population growth are not 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. 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 2oth Century produced advances in medicine, sanitation and nutrition, further improving life expectancy. Instructions: Answer each question in the space provided. Direct links to each of the needed websites can be found on the class website. Note: Some questions require you to calculate percent change. As a reminder, the percent change formula is: Percent Change = (Final - Initial)/Initial x 100 Go to: http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html 1. Based on the website (or computer clock), what is the exact time right now? 2. What is the U.S. population right now? 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). The rate of growth in developed nations has become more constant in recent years, while many developing nations are still growing exponentially.

3. Select any two countries from the list and find the following data:

LINK: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/

1st Choice:

Population Surface Area (sq km) Population Density (people/sq km)

2nd Choice: Population Surface Area (sq km) Population Density (people/sq km) Go to: http://galen.metapath.org/popclk.html 4. What is your birth date, including the year? 5. What was the world population on your birth date? (09/22/1989) 6. What was the world population on your first birthday? (09/22/1990) 7. What was the gain in world population during your first year of life? 8. What was the percent change in world population during your first year of life? 9. What was the world population on January 1st of this year? 10. What is the projected world population next January 1st? 11. What is the expected gain in population this year? 12. What is the expected percent change in world population this year? 13. Compare your data from questions 7&8 to questions 11&12. What is happening to world population growth? Go back to the US population data: http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html 14. Based on the website (or computer clock), what is the exact time right now? 15. How many minutes have elapsed since you answered question # 1? 16. What is the US population right now? 17. What was the gain in the US population while you have been working on this activity?