Human population growthIB MYP Biology: Subtopic test

1. 1
   A country in South-East Asia introduced free vaccination for children, clean piped water and better farming methods in the 1960s. Its death rate fell quickly, but its birth rate stayed high for several decades. The population doubled in about 40 years.

   (a)

   Which change is a main cause of the rapid population growth in this country?

   [1 mark]

   • AAn increase in deaths from infectious disease
   • BA fall in the amount of food grown
   • CA rise in the number of infant deaths
   • DA fall in the death rate due to better medicine

   (b)

   How did better farming methods help the population to grow?

   [1 mark]

   • AFewer people died from starvation and malnutrition
   • BPeople needed less food to survive
   • CThe birth rate fell as crops improved
   • DMore people died young because food was cheaper

   (c)

   Explain how the vaccination programme helped the population to grow.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 1: 4 marks

2. 2
   A coastal city in Vietnam grew from 1 million to 4 million people in 40 years. Mangrove forests and farmland around the city were cleared to build housing and factories. The city now produces much more household waste and uses far more water from the local river.

   (a)

   What is a direct effect of clearing the mangrove forests to build housing?

   [1 mark]

   • AMore habitat for fish
   • BMore carbon dioxide removed from the air
   • CLoss of habitat for wildlife
   • DFewer people needing housing

   (b)

   Which waste problem is most likely to increase as the city's population grows?

   [1 mark]

   • ALess sewage to treat
   • BMore household waste sent to landfill
   • CLess plastic in the rivers
   • DFewer greenhouse gases released

   (c)

   Explain why the growing population puts pressure on the city's water supply.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 2: 4 marks

3. 3
   Demographers estimate that the world's human population was about 1 billion in 1800, about 2.5 billion in 1950 and about 8 billion in 2022.

   (a)

   Describe how the rate of growth of the world's human population has changed.

   [3 marks]

   (b)

   Explain how the growing population has increased the pressure on land and the amount of waste produced.

   [4 marks]

   Total for question 3: 7 marks

4. 4
   A town in northern Italy is growing quickly as people move in for work. A group of students wants to investigate whether larger households produce more waste. The town council is also considering building a new housing estate on farmland at the edge of the town.

   (a)

   Outline a method the students could use to investigate whether larger households produce more waste.

   [6 marks]

   (b)

   Evaluate the council's idea of building a new housing estate on farmland at the edge of the town.

   [6 marks]

   Total for question 4: 12 marks

End of questions