Natural Resources

A resource is considered renewable if it -

• can be created only over millions of years

• is made of Earths’ materials like rocks and minerals

• can be replaced in a relatively short amount of time

• is useful to humans in making energy and materials

Which of the following is a non-renewable resource?

• Paper

• Coal

• Milk

• Water

Students were asked to generate a list that contained nothing but renewable resources. Which student was the the only one to make a correct list?

• Student A

• Student B

• Student C

• Student D

Why is water classified as a renewable rather than a nonrenewable resource? Water is classified as renewable because it -

• is constantly replaced

• is important to all life

• can be frozen into ice

• evaporates into the air

Fossil fuels form when organic matter is buried and then exposed to heat and pressure for millions of years. Fossil fuels are classified as nonrenewable resources because they –

• take a long time to form

• are used to produce heat

• form from organic matter

• can be found underground

Which of the following resources is collected by the panels on the roof of this home?

• air

• water

• wind

• sunlight

 Which of the following are renewable sources of energy?

• coal and natural gas
• oil and electricity
• sunlight and petroleum
• wind and water

What is the source of energy that causes the blades of a turbine to move?

• coal
• wind
• water
• sunlight

Which of the following is NOT a way that people can be harmful to the environment?

• burning coal for energy
• clearing land for homes
• making products from wood
• planting trees in a forest

Which of the following is a major cause of air pollution?

• burning fossil fuels
• dumping waste in landfills
• using wind and solar energy
• releasing waste into streams