In 1969 the United States National Academy of Sciences issued a report entitled Resources and Man. One conclusion in the report is that a world population of 10 billion “is close to (if not above) the maximum that an intensively managed world might hope to support with some degree of comfort and individual choice.” (The figure “10 billion” is sometimes referred to as the carrying capacity of the Earth.)

 (a) When the report was issued in 1969, the world population was about 3.6 billion, with a relative growth rate of 2% per year. Assuming continued exponential growth at this rate, estimate the year in which the Earth’s carrying capacity of 10 billion might be reached.    

 (b) Repeat the calculations in part (a) using the following more recent data: In 2000 the world population was about 6.0 billion, with a relative growth rate of 1.4% per year. How does your answer compare with that in part (a)?

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Question a in 1969 World Population was 36 billion and ... View the full answer