Name ________________________________________________ Date ____________________

Human Population and Carrying Capacity WebQuest

This activity is designed for you to see how the population of the Earth continues to change over
the course of time. At some point in time the carrying capacity of the Earth may be reached. Use
the links below to discover more about the human carrying capacity as well as to answer the
corresponding questions.
Click here: http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/popclockworld.html
1. What is the current world population?

Click here: http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/popclock

2. What is the exact time right now?

3. What is the U.S. population right now?

4. There is 1 birth every ____ seconds in the U.S.

5. There is 1 death every _____ seconds in the U.S.

6. There is one international immigrant every _____ seconds.

.
7. Net gain of one person every _______ seconds.

8. What are the 3 most populated states? Give their populations.

9. What are the three most populated cities? Give their populations.

10. What Texas cities are in the top ten most populated cities? Give their populations and
ranking.

11. What three states have the highest density?

12. Why are they not the same as the most populated states?
Click Here: http://www.demographia.com/db-2000stater.htm

13. Where is Texas ranked among state populations?

14. What percent of people in the US live in Texas?

Click Here: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html
15. Where does the US rank among the nations of the world in terms of population?

Click Here: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html
16. Where does the US rank for life expectancy at birth?

17. What is the life expectancy at birth in the US?

18. Which country has the highest life expectancy at birth and which has the lowest? Give the
life expectancy of each.

Click on the topic "Animated Map" and watch. http://desip.igc.org/mapanim.html

19. Where in the world did the human population appear to start?

20. What was the world population in 1985?

21. What is the expected world population in 2020?

Most countries are trying to reduce their growth rate. Zero population growth means that as many
people are being born as there are dying. To achieve zero population growth, each couple would
need to have no more than two children (to replace the parents). Even if this number is achieved,
the population will continue to grow because the parents will still live on for decades, as their
children have children, and their children have children........... The rate of growth in developed
nations has become more constant in recent years, while many developing nations are still
growing exponentially.
Click here for a list of least developed countries: http://unctad.org/en/pages/aldc/Least
%20Developed%20Countries/UN-list-of-Least-Developed-Countries.aspx
22. Select three countries from the list, click on the link for the country, and find the following
data:
a. Country:
b. Population:
c. Surface area:
d. Population growth rate:
e. Life expectancy at birth:

a. Country:
b. Population:
c. Surface area:
d. Population growth rate:
e. Life expectancy at birth:

a. Country
b. Population
c. Surface area:
d. Population growth rate:
e. Life expectancy at birth:

Click here for the information below: http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=United

%20States%20of%20America

23. Record the following data for the U.S.

a. Population:
b. Surface area:
c. Population density:

Click here for a link to see the effects of Human Population:

http://www.howmany.org/environmental_and_social_ills.php?
gclid=CLXu8J2_4LQCFWGnPAodQg8A7g
24. Identify and discuss 5 stresses being placed on our resources as a result of
overpopulation.

25. Discuss three social issues that are being affected by overpopulation.
Click on: http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/popclock
Scroll past the US and World Population Pop Clocks to the next rectangular section. At the
beginning of this section, there is place that allows you to select a date. Follow the steps below to
compare population numbers for the specified dates.

26.  What is your exact birth date? 

27. Key in your birth date on the calendar that comes up when you hit the “Select a Date”
button. What was the U.S. population on your birth date?

28. Put in the date of your 1st birthday.

What was the U.S. population on your first birthday?

29. What was the gain of the U.S. population your first year?
                  

      30. Put in January 1, 2014 on the calendar to see the population for the beginning of last year.
What was the U.S. population?

31. Put December 31, 2014 in the box.

What was the U. S. population?

32. How much did the population increase in 2014?