Exponential population growth is best described as

• A. Decreasing rate of growth
• B. Increasing rate of growth
• C. Constant but low growth
• D. Zero growth

Answer: (C)

Exponential growth happens when the increase in population is proportional to how many individuals are already there, so as the population grows, the number added each period grows too. In math terms, dN/dt = rN with r > 0, which means the population rises more steeply over time and the curve is J-shaped. The per-capita growth rate stays the same, but because there are more individuals reproducing, the total growth accelerates. That makes an increasing rate of growth the best way to describe exponential growth. In contrast, a constant but low growth would imply a fixed number added each period (linear growth), and zero growth means no change at all.