Environmental Science Worksheet

SCI/256 Version 3
1
University of Phoenix Material
Environmental Science Worsheet
Answer the following questions in at least 100 words. The answers are found in Ch. 1 of the
te!t.
1. "rovide a #rief summar$ of the histor$ of the environmental movement%
&. E!'lain the main 'oint concerning e!'onential growth and whether it is good or #ad.
Com'are e!'onential growth to a logistic growth curve and e!'lain how these might
a''l$ to human 'o'ulation growth. What 'romotes e!'onential growth% What constrains
'o'ulation growth%
(. Com'are 'redictions for human 'o'ulation growth in develo'ed countries versus
develo'ing countries. Wh$ is it difficult to 'redict the growth of Earth)s human 'o'ulation%
. E!'lain how 'rinci'les of s$stem theor$ a''l$ to the Earth as a living s$stem.
The main 'oint concerning e!'onential growth is rate of increase in 'o'ulation. *t is categori+ed
as when growth occurs at a constant rate 'er time 'eriod. *t is estimated #$ &1,0 the 'o'ulation
will quadru'le in Africa. Some would argue that it is good and #ad. -ad #ecause the world might
not #e a#le to sustain resources to accommodate such a ma.orit$ of 'eo'le. Some might argue
that we can accommodate so man$ 'eo'le if 'ro'er ste's are in order.
The earth is categori+ed as a s$stem. *n m$ o'inion is is the ne!t com'licated and
so'histicated s$stem to the human #od$. "rocesses that make u' the earth as a s$stem are
natural resources like oil/ water/ and vegetation. "eo'le and animals are a'art of this s$stem
also. The 'rinci'als of a s$stem are in'ut/ out'ut/ 'ositive and negative feed#acks. Earth as a
whole uses water/ oil/ 'lants/ vegetation to feed itself and sustain life on the 'lanet. 0umans
give the earth negative feed#ack #$ 'ollution and 'ositive feed#ack #$ growing cro's and
maintaining human and animal 'o'ulation.
The environmental movement is made u' of organi+ations #ig and small with goals of 'reserving the environment/ managing
ecos$stems/ sustaining and changing 'u#lic #ehaviors/ and maintaing a health$ environment. The mainstream environmental
movement can #e traced #ack to the 11th centur$ #ut the current environmental movement #egan shortl$ after World War **. *n
the 1120)s events like oil s'ills/ and forrest fires caused 'eo'le and government to take a look at ecolog$ and 'reserving s'ecies
that were #eing directl$ affected #$ such events. 3rou's formed to hel' solve the 'ro#lems arising from natural disasters and
increasing life.
The wa$ we calculate Earth)s human 'o'ulation is devised of a formula which considers crude
#irth rate/ crude death rate/ crude growth rate and fertilit$. All of the countries do not have a
constant level of humans that are constrained in the same age #racket/ therefore the varia#le of
'redicting growth rate is im'ossi#le/ it can onl$ #e estimated. 4actors that cannot #e
accounted for are natural disasters/ war/ famine/ etc. 5aria#les that differ in ever$ countr$
cannot #e accounted for to acuratel$ 'redict human 'o'ulation