ESE 200 PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
● Which systems are included in the usual three-part model of a sustainable earth?
(Select all that apply) Select one or more: a. Its Ecosystems b. Its Environment c. Its
Economies d. Its Societies. Answer: Its Environment Its Economies Its Societies
● Sustainable systems (check all that apply) Select one or more: a. Can be natural b.
Can be human c. Don't change over time d. Allow future systems to flourish. Answer:
Can be natural Can be human Allow future systems to flourish
● What is meant by "sustainable development"? Select one: a. Development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs b. Development that forces people to revert to the lesser
technology of the past and give up their desired quality of life in the present c.
Development that only uses renewable resources d. Development that continues to
reinvent itself. Answer: Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
● In the IPAT equation the environmental impact (I) of human activity is modeled to
increase when the following increases:. Answer: Technology Affluence Population
● According to this lecture, when is an IPAT analysis most likely to fail? Select one: a.
When thinking about the present b. When thinking about the future c. When thinking
about the past. Answer: When thinking about the future
● Cells in a petri dish grow fastest when (s-shaped growth pattern): a. Far from
carrying capacity b. Close to carrying capacity c. Just above carrying capacity. Answer:
Far from carrying capacity
● According to the lecture, what happens to a system where population exceeds the
carrying capacity? Select one: a. The population stops growing b. The population
slowly falls c. The population drops below carrying capacity d. The population slowly
returns to carrying capacity. Answer: The population drops below carrying capacity
● What occurs at a Malthusian "point of crisis"? Select one: a. starvation: there is not
enough food for the entire population b. explosion in population: growth rates become
exponential c. loss of total wealth: the population does not produce as much as
, beforeloss of total wealth: the population does not produce as much as before d. drop
in efficiency: each individual in the population becomes less efficient e. extinction: the
population dies out. Answer: starvation: there is not enough food for the entire population
● Which of the following most accurately describes a Neo-Malthusian attitude? Select
one: a. Arguing that Malthusian ideas have been discredited b. Observing that the
modern world population is at the highest level ever c. Thinking that population growth
was unsustainable in the past d. Believing that population growth is unsustainable
today e. Wishing that agricultural production was more efficient. Answer: Believing that
population growth is unsustainable today
● If the population of a country is increasing, we would expect to see a population
pyramid with a Select one: a. wedge, or cup shape b. symmetrical shape c.
asymmetrical shape d. square shape e. triangular shape. Answer: triangular shape
● Where will most population growth occur in the 21st century, according to the UN?
Select one: a. Africa b. Asia c. Europe d. North America e. South America. Answer:
Africa
● If the population of a country is stable, we would expect to see a population pyramid
with a Select one: a. wedge, or cup shape b. undulating shape c. wide footed d. square
shape e. triangular shape. Answer: square shape
● What is the approximate world population today? a. 7.5 billion b. 9.5 billion c. 11.5
billion d. 13.5 billion e. 15.5 Billion. Answer: 7.5 billion
● Why won't population growth alone necessarily lead to large global environmental
impacts? a. Population won't increase during the 21st century. b. Population is
unrelated to environmental impact. c. Most population growth is occurring in regions
with low per-capita consumption.. Answer: Most population growth is occurring in regions
with low per-capita consumption.
● The United States has what kind of demographic structure? Select one: a. very
youthful b. Youthful c. transitional d. mature e. very mature. Answer: transitional
● The human population has skyrocketed in the last 200 years primarily because of
Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition Select one: True False. Answer: True
● An important measurement of population dynamics is the doubling time, the time it
takes for a population to double. The following formula is used to determine doubling
time: Select one: a.Doubling Time = 35/Growth Rate (%) b.Doubling Time = 70/Growth
Rate (%) c.Doubling Time = 70/Fertility Rate (%) d.Doubling Time = 35/Fertility Rate (%).
ANSWERS GRADED A+
● Which systems are included in the usual three-part model of a sustainable earth?
(Select all that apply) Select one or more: a. Its Ecosystems b. Its Environment c. Its
Economies d. Its Societies. Answer: Its Environment Its Economies Its Societies
● Sustainable systems (check all that apply) Select one or more: a. Can be natural b.
Can be human c. Don't change over time d. Allow future systems to flourish. Answer:
Can be natural Can be human Allow future systems to flourish
● What is meant by "sustainable development"? Select one: a. Development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs b. Development that forces people to revert to the lesser
technology of the past and give up their desired quality of life in the present c.
Development that only uses renewable resources d. Development that continues to
reinvent itself. Answer: Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
● In the IPAT equation the environmental impact (I) of human activity is modeled to
increase when the following increases:. Answer: Technology Affluence Population
● According to this lecture, when is an IPAT analysis most likely to fail? Select one: a.
When thinking about the present b. When thinking about the future c. When thinking
about the past. Answer: When thinking about the future
● Cells in a petri dish grow fastest when (s-shaped growth pattern): a. Far from
carrying capacity b. Close to carrying capacity c. Just above carrying capacity. Answer:
Far from carrying capacity
● According to the lecture, what happens to a system where population exceeds the
carrying capacity? Select one: a. The population stops growing b. The population
slowly falls c. The population drops below carrying capacity d. The population slowly
returns to carrying capacity. Answer: The population drops below carrying capacity
● What occurs at a Malthusian "point of crisis"? Select one: a. starvation: there is not
enough food for the entire population b. explosion in population: growth rates become
exponential c. loss of total wealth: the population does not produce as much as
, beforeloss of total wealth: the population does not produce as much as before d. drop
in efficiency: each individual in the population becomes less efficient e. extinction: the
population dies out. Answer: starvation: there is not enough food for the entire population
● Which of the following most accurately describes a Neo-Malthusian attitude? Select
one: a. Arguing that Malthusian ideas have been discredited b. Observing that the
modern world population is at the highest level ever c. Thinking that population growth
was unsustainable in the past d. Believing that population growth is unsustainable
today e. Wishing that agricultural production was more efficient. Answer: Believing that
population growth is unsustainable today
● If the population of a country is increasing, we would expect to see a population
pyramid with a Select one: a. wedge, or cup shape b. symmetrical shape c.
asymmetrical shape d. square shape e. triangular shape. Answer: triangular shape
● Where will most population growth occur in the 21st century, according to the UN?
Select one: a. Africa b. Asia c. Europe d. North America e. South America. Answer:
Africa
● If the population of a country is stable, we would expect to see a population pyramid
with a Select one: a. wedge, or cup shape b. undulating shape c. wide footed d. square
shape e. triangular shape. Answer: square shape
● What is the approximate world population today? a. 7.5 billion b. 9.5 billion c. 11.5
billion d. 13.5 billion e. 15.5 Billion. Answer: 7.5 billion
● Why won't population growth alone necessarily lead to large global environmental
impacts? a. Population won't increase during the 21st century. b. Population is
unrelated to environmental impact. c. Most population growth is occurring in regions
with low per-capita consumption.. Answer: Most population growth is occurring in regions
with low per-capita consumption.
● The United States has what kind of demographic structure? Select one: a. very
youthful b. Youthful c. transitional d. mature e. very mature. Answer: transitional
● The human population has skyrocketed in the last 200 years primarily because of
Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition Select one: True False. Answer: True
● An important measurement of population dynamics is the doubling time, the time it
takes for a population to double. The following formula is used to determine doubling
time: Select one: a.Doubling Time = 35/Growth Rate (%) b.Doubling Time = 70/Growth
Rate (%) c.Doubling Time = 70/Fertility Rate (%) d.Doubling Time = 35/Fertility Rate (%).
