Environmental Science Worksheet

University of Phoenix Material

Environmental Science Worksheet

Answer the following questions in at least 100 words. The answers are found in Ch. 1-4 of the text.

1. Provide a brief summary of the history of the environmental movement?

The environmental movement began to grow and gain popularity after 1960. Before Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1960, 1962), became published and major environmental events took place, few people had heard the word ecology, and in politics or as a social issue the term environment meant little. Soon after the people involved in the movement were split in two groups and it began confrontations between them. These people were either known as environmentalist or anti-environmentalist. Environmentalists believed that social and economic development meant devastation to the environment and the end of civilization. On the other hand, anti-environmentalist believed that the health and progress of social and economic issues were necessary and more important to ensure the prosperity of people and civilization despite any environmental effects. In the present day opinions have changed. People around the world see the environment as one of the most important social and political issues.

2. Explain the main point concerning exponential growth and whether it is good or bad. Compare exponential growth to a logistic growth curve and explain how these might apply to human population growth. What promotes exponential growth? What constrains population growth?

The main point concerning exponential growth is when the growth rate is proportional when it occurs at a constant rate per time period. Exponential growth in itself cannot be considered either good or bad. It can be argued that it is either good or bad only when it is applied to a situation. For example exponential growth on interest earned on a savings account can be considered good as opposed to interest rate charged on a line of credit can be considered bad. Exponential growth and logistic growth curves are different in shape. The exponential curve is J shaped while the logistic growth curve is S shaped. Exponential growth can be applied to human population growth when population is experiencing increases by a constant percentage per unit of time. This might be as a result of improvements in health care, medicine, and food production. Logistic growth curve can be applied to human population as well. The main difference is for example, logistic growth is limited by food and disease unlike exponential growth. Logistic growth can show