Question

How can you calculate human population growth?

Answer 1

Population growth is exponential. But there is an upper limit.

Explanation:

Your final population (P), your original (at starting population) population (`P_0`), and you have a period such as 10 years, 50 years between your records.

Exponential population growth is expresed.

`P=P_0*e^(r*t)`

where r is population growth rate coefficient.

For instance, population in 2000 was 6 billion
population in 2017 is 7.4 billion (you can visit census.gov to see this figure). There are 17 years between 2000 and 2017.

Now r is

`ln(7.4/6)=r*17`

`r=0.073` or
`r=7.3%`

This is 17 years period population growth rate constant.

Some scientists argue that 10.5 billion is carrying capacity (of this planet). However, some nations push this limit by harming biosphere.