EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Sociologyindex, Sociology Books 2011
Exponential growth follows an exponential law; the simple-exponential growth model is known as the Malthusian growth model. Exponential growth models of physical phenomena generally apply within limited regions, as unbounded growth is not physically realistic.
Where a population has a constant birth rate through time and is never limited by food or disease, it has what is known as exponential growth. With exponential growth the birth rate alone controls how fast or slow the population grows.
Exponential growth occurs when some quantity regularly increases by a fixed percentage. Examples of exponential growth include
- bank accounts on which fixed interest is accumulating,
- human populations unhindered by predation or environmental problems, and
- contagious diseases for which no immunization is available.
Any quantity that grows or decays by a fixed percent at regular intervals is said to possess exponential growth or exponential decay.
One of the most common examples of exponential growth deals with bacteria. Bacteria can multiply at an alarming rate when each bacteria splits into two new cells, thus doubling. For example, if we start with only one bacteria which can double every hour, by the end of one day we will have over 16 million bacteria.
Exponential growth is common in physical processes such as population growth in the absence of predators or resource restrictions (where a slightly more general form is known as the law of growth). Exponential growth also occurs as the limit of discrete processes such a compound interest.
Exponential growth or exponential decay, also called geometric growth or geometric decay in the case of a discrete domain of definition with equal intervals, occurs when the growth rate of a mathematical function is proportional to the function's current value.
Exponential Growth is growth which follows a geometric progression (eg: 1,2,4,8,16,32) rather than a linear progression (eg: 1,2,3,4,5,6).
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"A quantity grows exponentially when its increase is proportional to what is
already there. A common example is compound interest, where $100 invested at 7% per year
annual compound interest will double in 10 years! Exponential growth applies to
populations, too -- if a population grows at 7% per year, it, too, will double in 10
years.
There are surprising consequences to the phenomenon of exponential growth. The $100
invested at a 7% annual return will double in 10 years to approximately $200, double in
another 10 years to approximately $400, and double again in the next 10 years to
approximately $800. Significant gains can be made by simply relying on exponential growth
over time. One way of saying this is that the longer you wait (on your investment), the
faster your returns come in. In the following graph, you can see that over time, returns
increase dramatically". - ecofuture.org
Securing the Future: Strategies for Exponential Growth Using the Theory of Constraints
(St. Lucie Press, Apics Series on Constraints Management) by Gerald I. Kendall (Hardcover
- Dec 29, 1997)
Learning & Teaching for Exponential Growth: A Three Person Problem (Paperback - 2002)
The construction chemicals market: steady gains are forecast for mature markets while
China is experiencing exponential growth.: An article from: Coatings World by Tim Wright
(Digital - Oct 31, 2008) - HTML
Disproportions Created by the Exponential Growth of Knowledge by Lipmann, Fritz (Paperback
- 1962)
Region's public-sector IT spend set for exponential growth.(MARKET INTELLIGENCE): An
article from: Iraq Telecom by Gale Reference Team (Digital - Oct 31, 2008) - HTML
Captives prefer TPAs for handling claims: exponential growth of claims can overwhelm
in-house staff.(Alternative Market)(Third-Party Claims Administrator): ... &
Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management by Caroline McDonald (Digital - Aug 1, 2005) -
HTML
Exponentiation: Exponentiation. Scientific notation, Exponential function, Euler's
formula, Root of unity, Cartesian product, Cartesian closed category, Ordinal arithmetic,
Exponential growth by John McBrewster, Frederic P. Miller, and Agnes F. Vandome (Paperback
- Jul 27, 2009)
Interest and Exponential Growth Table by Jimmy Dale (Kindle Edition - Mar 13, 2009) -
Kindle Book
Blueprint to a Billion: 7 Essentials to Achieve Exponential Growth by David G. Thomson
(Hardcover - Dec 7, 2005)
Output and Investment for Exponential Growth in Consumption. by Richard Stone (Paperback -
Jan 1, 1963)