Final answer:
Urbanization refers to the transformation of rural areas into urban areas, leading to the development of a metropolitan area—a large city and its connected communities. Suburbs are the less dense, more spacious communities on the edge of cities, while exurbs lie even further out and are typically more affluent. These areas collectively form a metropolis, with implications for natural resource use and environmental impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship among urbanization, metropolitan area, and suburb involves the growth and expansion of urban spaces and the populations within them. Urbanization is the process by which rural areas transform into urban areas, often as a result of population growth and industrialization. This process typically leads to the development of a metropolitan area, which can be defined as a large city and its surrounding communities that are economically and socially interconnected.
Suburbs are those communities surrounding cities, usually within commuting distance, and often feature more space and lower density than urban centers. As urban centers grow and become overcrowded or expensive, people tend to move to the suburbs, seeking a better quality of life while still maintaining access to the amenities of the city.
However, as suburbs become more populated and lose their appeal, a further migration to exurbs occurs. These are communities that lie outside the suburbs and are generally more affluent, offering even more space and a more rural setting, albeit with a longer commute back to the urban core. Together, suburbs, exurbs, and the central urban area form a metropolis, an extensive urban region that can encompass multiple cities and their suburbs. This growth pattern has significant implications for natural resource consumption and the environment.