[Campbell Biology P.1246] Which of the following statements about exponential population grow... | Practice Question
Which of the following statements about exponential population growth, as described by the equation dN/dt = rN, is FALSE?
A: A population with a higher intrinsic rate of increase (r) will grow faster than one with a lower r, assuming the same initial population size.
B: Even if the per capita rate of population growth (r) is constant, the number of new individuals added per unit of time (dN/dt) increases as the population size (N) increases.
C: Exponential growth curves are typically J-shaped because the population growth rate (dN/dt) accelerates as the population size grows.
D: In exponential growth, the per capita birth rate always increases over time, leading to a steeper curve.
Explanation
In exponential growth, the intrinsic rate of increase r is constant per capita. The total number of individuals added per unit of time dN/dt increases because the population size N is growing, not because the per capita rates are changing.