Q.A population has more young individuals compared to the older individuals. What would be the status of the population after some years?
Concept understanding — Exponential Growth Rate
Exponential Growth Rate
A quantity grows exponentially when its rate of change is proportional to its current size: the more there is, the faster it grows. This differs sharply from linear growth, where a fixed amount is added each step. In exponential growth the quantity multiplies by the same factor over equal time intervals.
The differential equation
Let y(t) be the quantity and k>0 the proportionality constant. The rate law "rate of change proportional to the current amount" becomes
dtdy=ky.
This is a separable equation. Integrating,
∫ydy=∫kdt⟹log∣y∣=kt+C⟹y=y0ekt,
where y0=y(0) is the starting value. The constant k is the growth rate: a larger k means faster growth. (If k<0, the very same equation describes exponential decay.)
Reading the growth rate
Over each unit of time, y is multiplied by ek. So if the quantity doubles every unit of time, then ek=2, giving k=log2. This is how a stated doubling time is converted into the constant k.
Linear growth adds the same amount each step; exponential growth multiplies by the same factor. That is why an exponential quantity looks slow at first and then climbs steeply — the increase itself keeps getting bigger.
Where it appears
Population growth with unlimited resources, money under continuous compound interest, and the early stage of a spreading process all obey dtdy=ky, and therefore follow y=y0ekt. In each case the same single constant k controls how quickly the quantity multiplies.
Exponential growth and decay problems (population growth, radioactive decay, compound interest) are standard application questions in the NCERT Class 12 Differential Equations chapter, and "exponential growth rate formula class 12" is a frequently searched topic ahead of CBSE boards and JEE Main. Recognising the pattern dy/dt = ky quickly is what separates a fast solve from a slow one in exam conditions.
A population with more young individuals than older ones has a high proportion of individuals in their pre-reproductive and reproductive age groups. This means that in the coming years, a large number of these young individuals will enter their reproductive phase and produce offspring. The birth rate will therefore remain high, while the death rate will be relatively low because there are fewer older individuals. As a result, the population will show a positive growth rate and its size will increase over time.
- The age structure directly determines the future growth trajectory of a population.
- A pyramid-shaped age structure with a broad base indicates a growing population.
- This is the opposite of a declining population, which has more older individuals.
The population will increase after some years, so the correct option is (C).
A population with more young individuals than older ones is structured for growth, so it will increase in the coming years.
This question is about age structure — one of the most revealing features of any population. In ecology, the proportion of individuals in different age groups (pre-reproductive, reproductive, and post-reproductive) tells us whether a population is growing, stable, or shrinking. The NCERT textbook makes this point very clearly: the age pyramids of human populations are a direct visual indicator of growth trends.
Think about what a "young" population means. If most individuals are in the pre-reproductive or early reproductive age groups, they will soon enter or remain in their childbearing years. Even if each pair has only a moderate number of offspring, the sheer number of potential parents is large. Over time, this produces more births than deaths, and the total population size rises.
The NCERT textbook uses three classic pyramid shapes: a broad base (expanding), a bell-like shape (stable), and a narrow base (declining). A population with many young individuals corresponds to the first type — a broad-based pyramid.
Now, consider the opposite scenario. If a population had mostly older individuals and few young ones, it would decline because deaths would outnumber births. But here, the textbook is explicit: a population with a high proportion of young individuals is an expanding population. It will not stabilise or decline in the near future — it will increase.
The key is that the young individuals are not just "more in number" — they are the ones who will reproduce. Their abundance guarantees a future surge in births, assuming no catastrophic change in birth or death rates.
Therefore, among the given options, the correct one is that the population will increase. It will not first decline and then stabilise, nor will it stabilise immediately. The momentum of a young age structure drives growth.
In short, a population with more young individuals than older ones will increase in the coming years, because the large pre-reproductive cohort will soon enter reproductive age and produce more offspring than the number of deaths.
Translate the age description into the standard three-tier framework first (more young individuals means a broad pre-reproductive base), then read off the growth status that framework predicts, rather than guessing directly from the phrase 'more young individuals'.
- COMEDK 2026Set 2026-M1 markMCQQ.In a bank the principal increases continuously at the rate of 4% per annum. In how many years will ₹ 1000 triple itself? (A) 251loge3 (B) 25loge3 (C) loge325 (D) loge75
›Reveal solutionSolution
The problem involves continuous compounding growth, modeled by the differential equation dP/dt=rP. Solving gives P(t)=P0ert. Setting P=3P0 with r=0.04 yields t=25ln3, which corresponds to option (B).
The key concept here is continuous growth, where the rate of increase is proportional to the current amount. This is the classic model for continuously compounded interest, population growth, or radioactive decay (but with a positive rate). The differential equation is dtdP=rP, whose solution is an exponential function. The intuition: the larger the principal, the faster it grows, leading to a "snowball" effect.
We are told the principal increases continuously at 4% per annum. That "4%" is the instantaneous rate r=0.04 (not an annual percentage yield after compounding). So we use the continuous compounding formula.
- Set up the model Let P(t) be the principal after t years. The continuous growth rate is r=1004=0.04. The differential equation is
dtdP=0.04P
The solution (by separation of variables or known formula) is
P(t)=P0e0.04t
where P0=1000 is the initial principal.
- State the tripling condition We want the time t such that the principal triples:
P(t)=3P0
Substitute the expression:
P0e0.04t=3P0
Cancel P0 (since it's nonzero):
e0.04t=3
- Solve for t Take the natural logarithm of both sides:
ln(e0.04t)=ln3
Using ln(ex)=x, we get:
0.04t=ln3
So
t=0.04ln3=4/100ln3=4100ln3=25ln3
- Match with the options The expression 25ln3 is exactly option (B). Note that loge3 is the same as ln3.
Watch outA common mistake is to use the simple interest or annual compounding formula. For continuous compounding, the formula is P=P0ert, not P=P0(1+r)t. Also, note that 4% per annum as a continuous rate means r=0.04, not 4.
TipThe number 25 appears because 1/0.04=25. So the tripling time under continuous compounding is simply t=rln3. For any continuous growth rate r, the time to multiply by a factor k is rlnk.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B).
ANSWER: B
- KCET 2026Set UNKNOWN1 markMCQQ.Which of the following is not correct with reference to exponential growth model? (A) Resources are limited (B) Population grows in a geometric fashion (C) A stationary phase is never reached (D) Population grows beyond carrying capacity
›Reveal solutionSolution
The exponential growth model is defined by the assumption of unlimited resources, so "resources are limited" is the statement that is incorrect for this model (that assumption instead belongs to the logistic growth model).
Step 1 — Core assumption of exponential growth
When resources in a habitat are unlimited, each species has the potential to realise its full biotic potential, and the population grows exponentially — described by the equation dtdN=rN, producing a J-shaped curve.
Step 2 — Checking each statement
- (A) "Resources are limited" — false for the exponential model; unlimited resources is precisely what allows unchecked exponential growth. This is the assumption of the logistic, not exponential, model.
- (B) "Population grows in a geometric fashion" — true; this is the defining character of exponential/J-shaped growth.
- (C) "A stationary phase is never reached" — true; without a limiting carrying capacity, growth never plateaus.
- (D) "Population grows beyond carrying capacity" — true in the sense that, since resources are treated as unlimited, there is effectively no carrying capacity ceiling constraining growth.
Step 3 — Conclusion
Since the exponential model explicitly assumes unlimited (not limited) resources, statement (A) is the one that is NOT correct.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) — Resources are limited.
- COMEDK 2025Set 2025-E1 markMCQQ.Find the function ' f ' which satisfies the equation dxdf=2f, given that f(0)=e3 (A) 2x+3 (B) log(2x+3) (C) e2x+3 (D) 2x2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The differential equation dxdf=2f with f(0)=e3 is a classic exponential growth model; its solution is f(x)=e2x+3, which corresponds to option (C).
We are given a first-order differential equation: the rate of change of f is proportional to f itself. This is the hallmark of exponential functions — the only functions whose derivative is a constant multiple of the original function. The constant here is 2, so we expect f(x)=Ce2x. The initial condition f(0)=e3 will determine C.
Let’s work through it step by step.
- Separate variables The equation is dxdf=2f. We can rewrite it as
fdf=2dx,
provided f=0 (which will be true here since the initial value is positive). This isolates f on one side and x on the other.
- Integrate both sides
∫f1df=∫2dx.
The left side gives log∣f∣, and the right side gives 2x+C (where C is the constant of integration). So
log∣f∣=2x+C.
- Solve for f Exponentiate both sides:
∣f∣=e2x+C=eCe2x.
Since eC is a positive constant, we can write f(x)=±eCe2x. Let K=±eC, an arbitrary constant. Then
f(x)=Ke2x.
- Apply the initial condition We are given f(0)=e3. Substituting x=0:
f(0)=Ke0=K=e3.
So K=e3, and the solution is
f(x)=e3e2x=e2x+3.
- Match with the options
- (A) 2x+3 is linear, not exponential.
- (B) log(2x+3) is logarithmic.
- (C) e2x+3 matches exactly.
- (D) 2x2 is quadratic.
Watch outA common mistake is to treat dxdf=2f as if f were a polynomial, leading to f(x)=x2+C or similar. Remember: when the derivative is proportional to the function itself, the solution is always exponential.
TipYou can also verify by differentiating the candidate: if f(x)=e2x+3, then f′(x)=2e2x+3=2f(x), and f(0)=e3. No other option satisfies both conditions.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
ANSWER: C
- COMEDK 2024Set 2024-M1 markMCQQ.If f(x)=f′(x) and f(1)=2, then f(3) is (A) 2e3 (B) log8−3 (C) 2e2 (D) 6
›Reveal solutionSolution
The function satisfies f′(x)=f(x), so it is an exponential of the form f(x)=Cex. Using f(1)=2 gives C=2/e, so f(3)=2e2, which corresponds to option (C).
The key idea is recognizing that the equation f′(x)=f(x) is the classic differential equation whose only solutions (up to a constant factor) are exponential functions. This is because the derivative being equal to the function itself means the function grows at a rate proportional to its current value — the hallmark of exponential growth.
Why this works:
If you differentiate ex, you get ex back. So any function of the form f(x)=Cex will satisfy f′(x)=Cex=f(x). The constant C is then determined by the given condition f(1)=2.
- Set up the general solution The differential equation f′(x)=f(x) has the general solution
f(x)=Cex,
where C is a constant. This is because the derivative of Cex is Cex, matching the original function.
- Use the initial condition We know f(1)=2. Substitute x=1 into f(x)=Cex:
Ce1=2⇒C=e2.
- Find f(3) Now plug x=3 into the function:
f(3)=e2⋅e3=2e2.
- Match with the options The value 2e2 is exactly option (C).
TipA common shortcut: from f′(x)=f(x), you can directly write f(x)=f(1)ex−1 because the general solution can be shifted. Then f(3)=2e2 without solving for C explicitly.
Watch outA classic mistake is to think f(x)=ex with no constant, forgetting the initial condition. That would give f(3)=e3, which is not among the options, but close to (A) 2e3 — a distractor.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C).
ANSWER: C
- KCET 2021Set C-31 markMCQQ.In a standard ECG, one of the following functions of its components is not correctly interpreted. (A) P is the contraction of only left atria (B) QRS complex represents ventricular contraction. (C) T is the end of systole. (D) P is the contraction of both atria.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The P wave stands for depolarisation of both atria, so the statement restricting it to the left atrium alone is the incorrect interpretation.
Step 1 — What an ECG records
An electrocardiogram is a graphical record of the electrical activity of the heart during one cardiac cycle, picked up by electrodes on the body surface. A standard ECG has three components:
Component What it represents P wave Electrical excitation (depolarisation) of BOTH atria, which leads to the contraction of both atria. QRS complex Depolarisation of the ventricles, which initiates ventricular contraction — contraction begins just after Q. T wave Return of the ventricles from the excited to the normal state (repolarisation) — it marks the end of systole. Step 2 — Test each option
- (A) "P is the contraction of only left atria" — WRONG. The impulse from the SA node spreads over both atria; the P wave therefore reflects the excitation of the right and left atria together. Restricting it to the left atrium alone misstates the ECG. ✓ this is the mis-interpretation the question asks for
- (B) "QRS complex represents ventricular contraction" — correct; the QRS marks ventricular depolarisation, immediately followed by contraction.
- (C) "T is the end of systole" — correct; the T wave (ventricular repolarisation) marks the end of systole.
- (D) "P is the contraction of both atria" — correct, and it directly contradicts (A).
Step 3 — The internal check
Statements (A) and (D) are mutually exclusive — they cannot both be right. Since the standard interpretation is that the P wave covers both atria, (D) is the true one and (A) is the faulty interpretation the question is hunting for.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) — P is the contraction of only left atria.
ANSWER: A
- KCET 2021Set C-31 markMCQQ.Which is the most feared property of malignant tumors? (A) Neoplasty (B) Metastasis (C) Rapid invasive growth (D) Loss of contact inhibition
›Reveal solutionSolution
Malignant tumours are feared above all because they spread — cells break off, travel in the blood, and seed new tumours elsewhere. That is metastasis.
Step 1 — Benign vs malignant tumours
Cancer cells lose the contact inhibition that normally stops a cell dividing once it touches its neighbours, so they go on dividing to form a mass — a tumour. Tumours are of two kinds:
- Benign tumours normally remain confined to their original location, do not spread to other parts of the body, and cause little damage.
- Malignant tumours are a mass of proliferating cells (neoplastic/tumour cells) that grow very rapidly, invade and damage the surrounding normal tissue, and starve the normal cells by competing for nutrients.
Step 2 — The defining terror: metastasis
NCERT states it plainly: "the most feared property of malignant tumours is METASTASIS."
In metastasis:
- Cells sloughed off from the primary tumour enter the bloodstream.
- They are carried to distant sites in the body.
- Wherever they lodge, they start a NEW tumour — a secondary growth.
Step 3 — Why metastasis, and not the other three, is the most feared
All four options are genuine features of malignancy, but they differ in consequence:
- (D) Loss of contact inhibition is the cause of uncontrolled division — the starting point, shared even by benign growths.
- (C) Rapid invasive growth is serious, but it is still LOCAL — a surgeon can, in principle, cut out or irradiate a localised mass.
- (A) "Neoplasty" is not a distinct dreaded property (neoplasm just = the tumour itself).
- (B) Metastasis, by contrast, makes the disease SYSTEMIC. Once cancer cells are seeded all over the body, local removal can no longer cure the patient — this is exactly why metastasis, not size or growth rate, is the usual cause of death in cancer.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — Metastasis.
ANSWER: B
- KCET 2018Set A-11 markMCQQ.In malignant tumors, the cells divide rapidly and move to distant parts of the body and cause new tumors. This property is called (A) Metastasis (B) Metagenesis (C) Teratogenesis (D) Mitosis
›Reveal solutionSolution
The question asks for the term describing the spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to distant sites, forming new tumors. The correct term is metastasis.
The key here is understanding what each term means in the context of tumor biology. The question describes two specific behaviors: rapid division and movement to distant parts of the body to cause new tumors. The second part — the spread — is the defining feature being tested.
Let’s break down the options:
-
Metastasis – This is the process by which cancer cells break away from the original (primary) tumor, travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, and form new tumors (secondary tumors) in other organs. This matches the description exactly. The word itself comes from Greek meta (beyond) + stasis (standing), meaning "displacement."
-
Metagenesis – This refers to alternation of generations in some organisms (e.g., jellyfish), where a sexual phase alternates with an asexual phase. It has nothing to do with cancer spread.
-
Teratogenesis – This is the process by which birth defects (congenital malformations) are produced, often due to exposure to harmful substances (teratogens) during pregnancy. Not related to tumor spread.
-
Mitosis – This is the normal process of cell division that produces two identical daughter cells. While cancer cells do divide rapidly via mitosis, mitosis itself is not a property unique to malignant tumors — it happens in all dividing cells. The question specifically asks about the property of moving to distant parts and causing new tumors, not just rapid division.
Watch outA common mistake is to pick "Mitosis" because the question mentions "cells divide rapidly." But the question explicitly adds "and move to distant parts of the body and cause new tumors." The property being named must cover both features — and only metastasis describes the spread. Mitosis describes only the division part, which is not unique to malignancy.
TipIn exam questions, when you see "spread to distant sites" or "secondary tumors," the answer is almost always metastasis. The other options are often distractors from other biology chapters (alternation of generations, birth defects, cell division).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) Metastasis.
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