Question 1

During the Great Depression in the 1930s,huge numbers of dispossessed U.S.farmers left places like Oklahoma and moved to California.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The movement of farmers from Oklahoma to California during the Great Depression is an example of internal migration, which refers to the movement of people within the same country or region. While emigration refers to the act of leaving one's country to live in another, internal colonization is the process in which a dominant group takes control of lands inhabited by indigenous people. Mortality refers to the number of deaths in a given population or time period, which is not relevant to this scenario.

Question 2

Although Japan has one of the world's highest life expectancies,it has experienced a net loss of population for many years,the result of declining birth rates and very low immigration rates.However,the population rose in both 2008 and 2009,largely due to Japanese citizens abroad returning home.This data was collected by a:

Accepted Answer

Demographers specialize in the study of population statistics and trends, including birth rates, death rates, and migration patterns. The data mentioned in the question relates to changes in the population of Japan over time, which is an area of inquiry within demography. Therefore, a demographer would be the most likely professional to collect this data.

Question 3

Will world population continue to grow,or will it eventually stabilize?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

Which of the following would most worry Thomas Malthus?

Accepted Answer

Thomas Malthus was very concerned about population growth and believed that unchecked population growth would lead to resource depletion and other societal problems. Therefore, he would be most worried about the U.S. government refusing to fund international agencies that provide family planning services, as this would likely lead to even more population growth and potential resource depletion in the future.

Question 5

Garrett Hardin believes that "a 'just' sharing of the world's wealth among all the inhabitants,without coercive control of individual reproduction,would result in a continual,exponential growth of the human population" and much more suffering.This means Hardin is a:

Accepted Answer

Hardin's belief aligns with the idea of neo-Malthusianism, which is the belief that population growth will exceed available resources, leading to suffering and hardship. Hardin advocates for controlling population growth as a means of avoiding this outcome, which falls in line with neo-Malthusian philosophy.

Question 6

According to a controversial study published in the British medical journal The Lancet,before the United States invaded Iraq,about 5.5 people out of every thousand would die each year,but after the invasion,that number rose to over 13.This study was attempting to measure:

Accepted Answer

The study was attempting to measure mortality, which is the rate of deaths in a population. The increase in the number of deaths per year after the invasion indicates a higher mortality rate.

Question 7

Even according to the lowest United Nations estimates,the globe will have two billion more people living on it by the year 2050.After that,the population may actually shrink because,while life expectancy may continue to rise,the average number of children each woman gives birth to is poised to drop below 2.1.What demographic variable might make the global population drop?

Accepted Answer

The average number of children each woman gives birth to, also known as fertility, is poised to drop below 2.1. This is the only option that directly relates to a decrease in population.

Question 8

If the pattern of demographic transition that followed the Industrial Revolution in Europe and the United States is repeated in Africa,which of the following would you NOT expect to see happen in the future?

Accepted Answer

The demographic transition model suggests that with industrialization, mortality rates typically decrease due to improvements in healthcare and living conditions, not increase.

Question 9

The study of the size,composition,distribution,and change in a human population is called:

Accepted Answer

Demography is the study of human population size, composition, distribution, and change. Environmental sociology studies the relationship between society and the environment, while an ecological paradigm is a perspective that views human societies as ecosystems. Conservationism is a philosophy that advocates for the protection and preservation of natural resources.

Question 10

How has Earth's population changed in the past fifty years?

Accepted Answer

Earth's population has nearly tripled in the past fifty years, increasing from around 3 billion in 1960 to over 7.7 billion in 2020.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of a study of demography?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Census Bureau sending out surveys is an example of a study of demography, which is the scientific study of human population characteristics and trends, such as size, density, and distribution. The census gathers information about population demographics such as age, gender, race, and geographic location. Options A, B, and D are not related to demography specifically.

Question 12

Given that fertility rates in the United States have dropped below the level needed to maintain the population level,why is the population here growing?

Accepted Answer

Immigration rates have risen, leading to an increase in the population despite the decrease in fertility rates.

Question 13

Which of the following helped lead to rapid population growth in Europe in the eighteenth century,around the time of Thomas Malthus?

Accepted Answer

The introduction of the potato from the New World led to increased agricultural productivity and a more stable food supply in Europe, allowing for rapid population growth. Penicillin was not discovered until the 20th century, the automobile was not invented until the 19th century, and better methods of contraception did not become widely available until the 20th century.

Question 14

Anti-Malthusians believe that Thomas Malthus could not have envisioned the many modern developments that impact population demographics.What is it that the anti-Malthusians worry about?

Accepted Answer

Anti-Malthusians believe that Malthus did not consider the impact of advances in technology, medicine, and agriculture that have increased food production and life expectancy. Therefore, they do not believe that population growth will spiral out of control, as Malthus predicted. In fact, some anti-Malthusians worry that populations may decline due to factors such as declining birth rates and aging populations.

Question 15

The birth rate in Italy is much lower than it was in the past,with the average woman now expected to bear about 1.3 children,far fewer children than are needed to replace two parents.What might this lead to?

Accepted Answer

The lower birth rate and fewer children being born than needed to replace two parents can lead to a demographic free fall, meaning that over time, the population will decline.

Question 16

Which of the following is a basic demographic variable?

Accepted Answer

Migration is a basic demographic variable as it refers to the movement of people from one place to another, which is an important factor in population growth, distribution, and composition. Agglomeration refers to the clustering of population and economic activity in urban areas, while dystopia and pluralism are social and political concepts, respectively.

Question 17

Due to an oil boom,North Dakota has experienced the greatest population increase among all of the states in the United States in the recent past.Which demographic variable explains this?

Accepted Answer

The increase in population in North Dakota is due to migration, specifically people moving to the state to work in the oil industry.

Question 18

The "green revolution" refers to a major transformation in agriculture that occurred in the twentieth century and resulted in an explosion in food production.for example,plant biologists bred wheat that had much shorter stalks and carried more wheat on top without falling over.What effect would you expect this to have on global demographics?

Accepted Answer

The increase in food production resulting from the green revolution led to increased population growth, as more people were able to be fed and therefore survive.

Question 19

Which of the following would be an example of a "positive check" on population growth?

Accepted Answer

Famine would be an example of a "positive check" on population growth because it directly reduces the population size by limiting access to food and resources needed for survival. Family planning and emigration are considered "preventive checks" as they aim to control population growth before it reaches unsustainable levels. Cloning is not a method for population control.

Question 20

The net migration rate is the:

Accepted Answer

The net migration rate is calculated by subtracting the number of emigrants from the number of immigrants in a given population. It is a measure of how many people are entering or leaving a country or region, and can have significant impacts on the local economy and culture. A positive net migration rate indicates that more people are entering the population than leaving it, while a negative net migration rate means more people are leaving than entering.

Quiz 15: Populations, Cities, and the Environment