Population Dynamics

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, demographic measurements, and population growth concepts from the Population Dynamics lecture.

Thomas Robert Malthus

An economist who put forth the theory of overpopulation, stating that population grows by geometric progression while food production grows by arithmetic progression.

Geometric Progression

A pattern of growth where numbers at each step are multiplied (for example, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32).

Arithmetic Progression

A pattern of growth where numbers are added at each step (for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Birth Rate

The number of live births per thousand people.

Death Rate

The number of deaths per thousand people.

Natural Growth Rate

The difference between the birth rate and the death rate, also referred to as natural increase.

Positive Growth Rate

A state of growth rate where the birth rate exceeds the death rate.

Negative Growth Rate

A state of growth rate where the death rate exceeds the birth rate.

Zero Growth Rate

A state of growth rate where the birth rate and the death rate are equal.

Life Expectancy

The average number of years a person is expected to live.

Fertility Rate

The average number of children a woman would bear during her reproductive years.

Infant Mortality Rate

The number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 births.

Population Explosion

The sudden and rapid growth of population.