Chapter 1 Exam (Natural Disasters and the Human Population)

In general, there is an inverse correlation between the frequency and the magnitude of a disaster process.

True

In the last 50 years of the 20th century, the world population of humans grew from 2.5 billion to over 6 billion.

True

Nations with stronger democracies tend to have lower death totals from natural disasters.

True

When the carrying capacity drastically decreases, populations collapse.

True

The rapid increase in human population during the past several centuries is an example of __________ growth.

exponential

The population of Easter Island was limited by all but which of the following?

the Ebola virus

Based on data for the period from 1970 to 2013, __________ experienced the greatest loss of life from natural disasters.

Asia

A virus requires a host in order to reproduce.

True

Beginning in the eighteenth century, discoveries in science, medicine, and public health caused death rates to drop dramatically.

True

Today, the world growth rate for human population is about 1.2%.

True

Between 1990 and 2015 the worldwide rate of human population growth increased.

False

A very slow exponential growth rate of population can continue indefinitely on an Earth of finite size and resources.

False

At present, the world population is growing at about 8.5 percent per year for a doubling time of 20 years.

False

By the year 2000 bce, the world's total population was over 1 billion.

False

Given current technologies, humans have a realistic chance of escaping to another hospitable planet.

False

If a particular disaster has a high frequency of occurrence, it also has a large return period (recurrence interval).

False

In general, the larger and more energetic the disaster event, the shorter the return period between such events.

False

The age distribution of a population (relative proportions of people of different ages) is not important when considering the growth rate of that population.

False

The annual likelihood of a tornado that kills 10 people is less than that of an earthquake killing the same number of people.

False

What caused the collapse of the human population on Easter Island from its peak in 1550 ce?

Human activities overwhelmed the environment.

Disasters occur where Earth unleashes its concentrated energy.

True

During a demographic transition, the death rate drops while the birthrate remains high.

True

Each year the world's population grows by an amount equal to the population of Germany.

True

In 2013, the 40 deadliest natural disasters together killed over 17,000 people.

True

In the period between 1970 and 2013, 27 of the 40 worst disasters occurred in a belt running from Bangladesh through India and Iran to Turkey.

True

Of the 40 worst disasters between 1970 and 2013, the most frequent mega-killers were hurricanes and earthquakes.

True

The decrease in the worldwide fertility rate is likely linked to urbanization and increased opportunities for women.

True

The difference between a world population in the year 2150 of 3.6 billion or 27 billion rests on a difference of only 1 child per woman.

True

The human population growth presently varies greatly from one region to another.

True

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than World War I.

True

The likelihood over 20 years of a hurricane that kills 1,000 people is greater than that of an earthquake that kills 1,000 people.

True

The locations of the worst dollar-loss disasters for the insurance industry present a very different picture than the list of worst locations for fatalities in the last four decades.

True

Using the rule of 70, a population growth rate of 2% annually will result in doubling a population in 35 years.

True

Wealthy countries tend to have low or negative rates of population growth.

True

Which of the following disasters has the highest probability of causing a "10-fatality event" each year?

a tornado

During prosperous times, the Easter Islanders' diet was based on __________.

chickens and yams

The __________ century saw many of the intellectual advances that set the stage for the present phase of cultural change, with the causes of many diseases being recognized, and the principles of public health being established.

eighteenth

The growth of human population worldwide over the past 1,000 years has been __________.

exponential, with a generally increasing growth rate

About 1550 ce, the human population of Easter Island was about 7,000; when the first European contact came from the crew of a Dutch ship on Easter Sunday, 5 April 1722, the population of Easter Island __________.

had dropped to about 2,000

In the last two or three centuries birthrates __________.

have changed little, while death rates have plunged

In a demographic transition, a population goes from __________.

high death rates and low birth rates to low death rates and high birthrates

As the global human population increases, the death toll from natural disasters is expected to __________.

increase

The introduction of the potato in Ireland in the 1500's __________.

increased the carrying capacity of the island

Most of the 40 deadliest disasters between 1970 and 2013 occurred in a belt running from China and Bangladesh through India and Iran to Turkey. This area was particularly vulnerable because __________.

it has a high population density

Today, the less-developed countries have __________.

low death rates and high birthrates

Most of the more-developed countries have __________.

low death rates and low birthrates

When a disease infects and/or kills people all over the world, the event is referred as a __________.

pandemic

After initial settlement about 1,500 years ago, the population of Easter Island __________ in 1722.

reached a peak and then declined before the Dutch arrived

The greatest insurance dollar losses related to natural disasters between 1970 and 2013 occurred in __________.

the United States

The growth rate of the world population equals __________.

the birthrate minus the death rate

Based on insurance industry records of economic loss from natural disasters, 32 of the 40 most expensive disasters between 1970 and 2013 were __________.

weather events

Which of the following disasters has the highest probability of causing a "1,000-fatality event" each year?

a hurricane

The return period of a disaster is the average number of years __________.

between same-sized events

Before the time of initial settlement by Polynesians, Easter Island had all but which of the following?

several species of native terrestrial mammals

At present, the worldwide population of humans is growing at a rate of __________% per year.

1.2

Using the rule of 70, a population growth rate of 7% annually will result in doubling a population in __________ years.

10

Using the rule of 70, money invested at 5% annual interest will double in __________ years.

14

In the last 50 years of the 20th century, world population grew from __________ billion to over 6 billion.

2.5

At present, after subtracting deaths from births, world population increases 1.2 percent per year for a doubling time of __________.

58 years

In 2015 the human population of the world was about __________.

7.3 billion

At present, the world population of humans grows by about __________ million per year.

80