College Physics - Chapter 20: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment

Flashcards for College Physics Chapter 20 focusing on Population, Urbanization, and the Environment.

Demography

The study of population.

Fertility Rate

A measure noting the actual number of children born.

Mortality Rate

A measure of the number of people in a population who die.

Population Composition

A snapshot of the demographic profile of a population based on fertility, mortality, and migration rates.

Sex Ratio

The ratio of men to women in a given population.

Population Pyramid

A graphic representation that depicts population distribution according to age and sex.

Malthusian Theory

A theory asserting that population is controlled through positive checks (war, famine, disease) and preventive checks (measures to reduce fertility).

Carrying Capacity

The amount of people that can live in a given area considering the amount of available resources.

Zero Population Growth

A theoretical goal in which the number of people entering a population through birth or immigration is equal to the number of people leaving it via death or emigration.

Cornucopian Theory

A theory that asserts human ingenuity will rise to the challenge of providing adequate resources for a growing population.

Demographic Transition Theory

A theory that describes four stages of population growth.

Stage 1- high birth, high death

Stage 2- low death, high births

Stage 3- both start to slow

Stage 4- birth = death, zero population growth

Refugee

An individual who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

Asylum-Seekers

Those whose claim to refugee status have not been validated.

Internally Displaced Person

Someone who fled their home while remaining inside the country’s borders.

Suburbs

The communities surrounding cities, typically close enough for a daily commute.

Exurbs

Communities that arise farther out than the suburbs and are typically populated by residents of high socioeconomic status.

Metropolis

The area that includes a city and its suburbs and exurbs.

Megalopolis

A large urban corridor that encompasses several cities and their surrounding suburbs and exurbs.

Human Ecology

A functional perspective that looks at the relationship between people and their built and natural environment.

Concentric Zone Model

A model of human ecology that views cities as a series of circular rings or zones.

Environmental Sociology

The sociological subfield that addresses the relationship between humans and the environment.

Climate Change

Long-term shifts in temperature and climate due to human activity.

Pollution

The introduction of contaminants into an environment at levels that are damaging.

Water Footprint

Total volume of fresh water that is used to produce the goods and services that we consume.