Natural resources: food, water and energy

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Notes de leçon

Types of resources

A natural resource is anything from the environment that people use, such as water, soil, timber, fish, minerals and fossil fuels.
Renewable resources are replaced naturally and will not run out if managed well — sunlight, wind, water, timber from managed forests.
Non-renewable resources are finite and will run out — coal, oil, natural gas and metal ores.
Food, water and energy are the three resources most essential to human wellbeing.

Uneven supply and demand

Resources are unevenly spread: some places have plentiful rain, fertile soil or oil, others do not.
Global demand is rising because of population growth and economic development — richer people eat more meat, use more water and consume more energy.
Higher-income countries consume far more resources per person than lower-income countries.
Where demand is greater than supply there is a deficit; where supply is greater there is a surplus.

Food

Food security exists when everyone has reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.
Food insecurity is caused by drought, floods, conflict, poverty, pests and diseases, and high food prices.
Increasing food supply: irrigation, new high-yield crop varieties (the Green Revolution), fertilisers, and hydroponics (growing plants in nutrient-rich water).
Food miles measure how far food travels from farm to plate; imported food adds transport emissions.
Reducing food waste and eating local, seasonal food make food supply more sustainable.

Water

Only a tiny fraction of the Earth's water is fresh water that is easy for people to use; most is salty seawater or frozen in ice.
Water stress happens when demand for water exceeds the available supply, or poor quality limits its use.
In the UK the north and west get the most rain, but most people live in the south and east — so water is transferred through pipes and rivers, for example from the Elan Valley in Wales to Birmingham.
Ways to increase supply: dams and reservoirs, water transfer schemes, groundwater from wells, and desalination (removing salt from seawater — expensive and energy-hungry).
Ways to reduce demand: water meters, fixing leaks, low-flush toilets, and recycling grey water.

Energy

Fossil fuels — coal, oil and gas — formed from ancient plants and animals over millions of years; burning them releases carbon dioxide.
Renewable energy: wind, solar, hydroelectric (HEP), tidal, wave, geothermal and biomass.
Nuclear power produces very little carbon dioxide but uses non-renewable uranium and creates radioactive waste.
The UK's energy mix has shifted from coal to gas, wind and other low-carbon sources; its last coal power station closed in 2024.
Energy security means having reliable, affordable energy; relying on imports can be risky if supplies are disrupted.

Advantages and disadvantages of energy sources

Wind: renewable and clean, but unreliable when the wind drops; some people object to the look and noise of turbines.
Solar: renewable, works best in sunny places; produces nothing at night.
HEP: reliable renewable power, but dams flood valleys and displace people and wildlife.
Fossil fuels: reliable and on demand, but they release greenhouse gases and will run out.
Fracking extracts gas from shale rock; it is controversial because of concerns about small earthquakes and water pollution.

Sustainable resource use

Sustainable use means meeting today's needs without stopping future generations meeting theirs.
Strategies: using renewable energy, insulating homes, energy-efficient appliances, public transport, reducing waste, recycling.
Small-scale schemes, such as rainwater harvesting or solar lamps, can help communities in lower-income countries.

Diapos

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1.What is a natural resource?
Easy
- ASomething from the environment that people use
- BAnything made in a factory
- CA type of weather
- DA map symbol
2.Which of these is a non-renewable resource?
Easy
- AWind
- BSunlight
- CTimber from a managed forest
- DCoal
3.Which of these is a renewable energy source?
Easy
- AOil
- BCoal
- CSolar power
- DNatural gas
4.Why is global demand for resources rising?
Medium
- AFewer countries are developing
- BPopulation growth and economic development
- CThe world's population is falling
- DPeople are using less energy
5.What is a resource deficit?
Easy
- AWhen demand is greater than supply
- BWhen supply is greater than demand
- CWhen a resource is renewable
- DWhen a resource is exported
6.What is food security?
Easy
- ALocking food in warehouses
- BA country growing only one crop
- CA ban on importing food
- DWhen everyone has reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food
7.Which of these is a cause of food insecurity?
Medium
- AHigh-yield seeds
- BReducing food waste
- CDrought causing crop failure
- DIrrigation of farmland
8.What was the Green Revolution?
Medium
- AThe spread of vegetarian diets
- BThe use of high-yield crop varieties, fertilisers and irrigation to boost farm output
- CA political movement to plant trees
- DA switch to solar energy

Plus de questions

9.What is hydroponics?
Medium
- AGrowing plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil
- BGenerating electricity from rivers
- CRemoving salt from seawater
- DWatering crops with sprinklers
10.What are food miles?
Easy
- AThe number of calories in food
- BThe size of a farm
- CThe time food takes to cook
- DThe distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is eaten
11.Where is most of the Earth's water found?
Easy
- AIn lakes
- BIn the atmosphere
- CIn the oceans, as salt water
- DIn rivers
12.What is water stress?
Easy
- AWhen too much rain falls
- BWhen demand for water exceeds the available supply
- CWhen a river floods
- DWhen water is very cold
13.Why does the UK need water transfer schemes?
Medium
- AMost rain falls in the north and west, but most people live in the south and east
- BThe whole UK is a desert
- CThe UK has no reservoirs
- DRainfall is the same everywhere
14.Water from the Elan Valley reservoirs in Wales is transferred to which English city?
Medium
- ALondon
- BNewcastle
- CPlymouth
- DBirmingham
15.What is desalination?
Medium
- ADraining wetlands
- BStoring water in reservoirs
- CRemoving salt from seawater to make fresh water
- DAdding salt to food
16.What is the main disadvantage of desalination?
Medium
- AIt creates rainfall
- BIt is expensive and uses a lot of energy
- CIt makes water saltier
- DIt only works on rivers
17.What is grey water?
Medium
- AUsed water from sinks, baths and washing machines that can be reused
- BPolluted seawater
- CWater stored underground
- DWater from melting glaciers
18.Which gas is released when fossil fuels are burned and contributes to climate change?
Easy
- AOxygen
- BNitrogen
- CHelium
- DCarbon dioxide
19.What is a disadvantage of wind power?
Medium
- AIt will run out
- BIt produces radioactive waste
- CIt does not produce electricity when the wind is too weak
- DIt releases a lot of carbon dioxide
20.What is a disadvantage of hydroelectric power (HEP)?
Medium
- AIt only works at night
- BBuilding dams floods valleys and can force people to move
- CIt cannot be controlled
- DIt uses coal
21.Why is nuclear power controversial even though it produces very little carbon dioxide?
Medium
- AIt creates radioactive waste that must be stored safely for a very long time
- BIt is renewable
- CIt depends on the weather
- DIt uses wind turbines
22.What is fracking?
Medium
- AMining coal underground
- BBuilding a dam
- CDrilling for water
- DExtracting gas from shale rock by pumping in high-pressure liquid
23.In what year did the UK's last coal-fired power station close?
Medium
- A2000
- B2010
- C2024
- D1984
24.What is energy security?
Medium
- AExporting all the energy a country produces
- BHaving a reliable and affordable supply of energy
- CLocking up power stations
- DUsing only one type of energy
25.
The table shows the share of a country's electricity from each source.
Source 2010 2023
Coal 30% 2%
Gas 45% 35%
Wind and solar 5% 35%
Nuclear 15% 15%
Other 5% 13%
Which statement is supported by the data?
Medium
- AWind and solar grew as coal almost disappeared
- BCoal became the main source by 2023
- CNuclear power doubled
- DGas grew from 45% to 55%
26.Using the same table, by how many percentage points did wind and solar increase between 2010 and 2023?
Hard
- A35
- B7
- C40
- D30
27.Which of these are renewable energy sources? (select all that apply)
Easy
- ATidal
- BGeothermal
- COil
- DNatural gas
- EWind
28.Which of these increase the supply of water? (select all that apply)
Medium
- AA water transfer scheme
- BFitting water meters
- CFixing leaking pipes
- DBuilding a reservoir
- EDesalination
29.Which of these help increase food production? (select all that apply)
Medium
- ADrought
- BSoil erosion
- CIrrigation
- DHigh-yield crop varieties
- EHydroponics
30.Which of these are ways to use energy more sustainably? (select all that apply)
Medium
- ABuilding more coal power stations
- BInsulating homes
- CUsing public transport
- DEnergy-efficient appliances
- ELeaving lights on
31.Oil is a renewable resource.
Easy
True or false?
32.Higher-income countries use more resources per person than lower-income countries.
Easy
True or false?
33.Most of the Earth's water is fresh water that people can easily use.
Easy
True or false?
34.Solar panels produce no electricity at night.
Medium
True or false?
35.In the UK, most people live in the wettest areas in the north and west.
Medium
True or false?
36.Eating local, seasonal food can reduce food miles.
Medium
True or false?
37.Match each energy source to a disadvantage.
Medium
- Wind
- HEP
- Nuclear
- Coal
- Unreliable when the wind drops
- Dams flood valleys
- Radioactive waste
- Releases large amounts of carbon dioxide
38.Match each term to its meaning.
Medium
- Food security
- Water stress
- Energy security
- Food miles
- Reliable access to enough nutritious food
- Demand for water exceeds supply
- A reliable, affordable energy supply
- Distance food travels from farm to plate
39.Match each water strategy to its type.
Medium
- Building a reservoir
- Installing water meters
- Desalination
- Low-flush toilets
- Increases supply
- Reduces demand
40.Put these stages of a water transfer scheme in order.
Medium
- Water is piped to homes in the city
- Rain falls on hills in the wet north and west
- Water is stored in a reservoir
- Water flows through an aqueduct to a distant city
41.Put these in order to show how fossil fuels formed.
Medium
- Layers of sediment buried them over millions of years
- Plants and sea creatures died
- Heat and pressure turned them into coal, oil and gas
- They were extracted and burned
42.Complete the sentence.
Easy
Resources that will run out, such as coal, are called ____ resources.
43.Complete the sentence.
Medium
Removing salt from seawater to make drinking water is called ____.
44.What name is given to the mix of different sources a country uses to produce its energy?
Medium
45.What word describes growing plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil?
Medium
46.Explain why the demand for resources is increasing around the world.
Medium
47.Describe two ways of increasing water supply and one disadvantage of each.
Hard
48.Evaluate whether the UK should rely more on wind power.
Hard

Notes de révision

## Resources - **Renewable** (wind, solar, water, managed timber) vs **non-renewable** (coal, oil, gas, metal ores). - Demand rising with **population** and **development**; HICs consume most per person. **Deficit** = demand > supply. ## Food - **Food security** = reliable access to enough nutritious food. Threats: drought, conflict, poverty, pests, prices. - Increase supply: irrigation, **Green Revolution** seeds, fertiliser, **hydroponics**. Reduce **food miles** and waste. ## Water - Very little of Earth's water is easily usable fresh water. **Water stress** = demand > supply. - UK surplus in north/west, deficit in south/east → **transfer** (Elan Valley → Birmingham). - Supply: reservoirs, transfers, groundwater, **desalination** (costly, energy-hungry). Demand: meters, leaks, low-flush toilets, **grey water**. ## Energy - Fossil fuels release CO₂; renewables: wind, solar, HEP, tidal, wave, geothermal, biomass; nuclear = low-carbon but radioactive waste. - UK energy mix: coal → gas and wind; last coal station closed 2024. **Energy security** = reliable, affordable supply. - Drawbacks: wind unreliable, solar none at night, HEP floods valleys, **fracking** tremors/pollution. ## Sustainability - Insulation, efficiency, public transport, recycling, renewables.

Natural resource: Something from the environment that people use.
Renewable resource: A resource that is replaced naturally and will not run out if managed well.
Non-renewable resource: A finite resource that will run out, such as coal or oil.
Food security: When everyone has reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.
Water stress: When demand for water exceeds the available supply.
Water transfer: Moving water from an area of surplus to an area of deficit.
Desalination: Removing salt from seawater to make fresh water.
Energy mix: The combination of sources a country uses to produce energy.
Energy security: Having a reliable and affordable supply of energy.
Fracking: Extracting gas from shale rock by pumping in high-pressure liquid.
Food miles: The distance food travels from producer to consumer.
Hydroponics: Growing plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil.

Cartes mémo

Renewable vs non-renewable resource?

Renewable resources are replaced naturally; non-renewable ones are finite and will run out.

Give three non-renewable resources.

Any three of: coal, oil, natural gas, metal ores, uranium.

Why is demand for resources rising?

Population growth and economic development (richer people consume more).

Define food security.

Reliable access for everyone to enough affordable, nutritious food.

What was the Green Revolution?

Using high-yield seeds, fertilisers and irrigation to greatly increase crop yields.

What are food miles?

The distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is eaten.

Define water stress.

When demand for water exceeds the available supply.

Why does the UK transfer water?

Most rain falls in the north and west, but most people live in the south and east.

Give an example of a UK water transfer.

The Elan Valley reservoirs in Wales supply Birmingham.

What is desalination and its main drawback?

Removing salt from seawater; it is expensive and uses lots of energy.

What is grey water?

Used water from sinks, baths and washing machines that can be reused.

Name four renewable energy sources.

Any four of: wind, solar, HEP, tidal, wave, geothermal, biomass.

Why is nuclear power controversial?

It creates long-lasting radioactive waste, though it produces little CO₂.

When did the UK's last coal power station close?

2024.

What is energy security?

Having a reliable, affordable supply of energy.

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Source	2010	2023
Coal	30%	2%
Gas	45%	35%
Wind and solar	5%	35%
Nuclear	15%	15%
Other	5%	13%