Earth's natural resources

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Lesson notes

What Are Natural Resources?

Natural resources are materials from nature that people use, such as water, air, minerals, and forests.
Every man-made product is made from natural resources at its most basic level.
Resources can have commercial, industrial, aesthetic, scientific, or cultural value.
Natural resources are part of Earth's natural heritage and are often protected in reserves.

Classification by Origin

**Biotic** resources come from living things or once-living matter, e.g., forests, fish, livestock, and fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
**Abiotic** resources come from non-living, inorganic materials, e.g., water, air, land, metals like gold and iron, and rare-earth elements.

Classification by Stage of Development

**Potential resources** are known to exist but not yet used (e.g., oil in unextracted rock).
**Actual resources** have been surveyed and are currently being used (e.g., timber from managed forests).
**Reserves** are the part of an actual resource that can be profitably developed in the future.
**Stocks** are surveyed but not usable due to lack of technology (e.g., hydrogen as fuel).

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources

**Renewable resources** can be replenished naturally, like sunlight, wind, and water, as long as consumption does not exceed replenishment.
**Non-renewable resources** form over millions of years and cannot be replaced quickly; examples include fossil fuels and minerals.
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) are non-renewable because they take millions of years to form.
Metals can be recycled, but coal and petroleum cannot be recycled.

Classification by Ownership

**Individual resources** are owned by a person, e.g., a private plot or pond.
**Community resources** are accessible to all members of a community, e.g., a local pasture.
**National resources** belong to the nation, including minerals, forests, and wildlife within its borders.
**International resources** are regulated by international organizations, e.g., international waters.

Distribution of Resources

Natural resources are **unevenly distributed** on Earth due to past geologic processes.
For example, fossil fuels are found where ancient organic matter was buried and transformed.
Mineral deposits form where specific geologic conditions concentrate them.
Groundwater availability depends on rock porosity and the water cycle.

Human Impact and Sustainability

Overconsumption leads to **depletion** of non-renewable resources and scarcity.
Resource extraction can cause environmental damage and human rights issues.
The **circular economy** aims to reduce extraction by reusing, recycling, and using renewable resources.
Sustainable Development Goals promote responsible resource use for future generations.

Energy pyramid showing the flow of energy through trophic levels. Producers (plants) capture solar energy, and only about 10% is transferred to each higher level.

Particle arrangement in solids, liquids, and gases. Solids have tightly packed particles; liquids have slightly spaced particles; gases have widely spaced particles moving freely.

Slides

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Practice questions

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1.Which of the following is an example of a biotic natural resource?
Easy
- ACoal
- BGold
- CWater
- DSunlight
2.Which of the following is a non-renewable resource?
Easy
- ASolar energy
- BWind energy
- CNatural gas
- DTimber
3.A resource that has been surveyed and is currently being used is called a(n):
Medium
- APotential resource
- BActual resource
- CReserve
- DStock
4.Which of the following best explains why petroleum is considered a non-renewable resource?
Hard
- AIt is produced by plants and animals that are still alive today.
- BIt forms very slowly over millions of years from buried organic matter.
- CIt can be recycled after use.
- DIt is continuously replenished by natural processes.
5.Which of the following is an abiotic natural resource?
Easy
- AFish
- BTimber
- CIron ore
- DCoal
6.Which of the following resources is classified as renewable but can become depleted if overused?
Medium
- ASolar energy
- BWind energy
- CFreshwater
- DUranium
7.A deposit of copper ore has been discovered but is not yet mined because the technology to extract it profitably is not available. This deposit is best described as a:
Hard
- APotential resource
- BActual resource
- CReserve
- DStock
8.Which of the following is a community resource?
Medium
- AA privately owned farm
- BA public cemetery
- CMinerals within a country's borders
- DInternational waters

Revision notes

## Earth's Natural Resources — Night-Before-Exam Notes ### What Are Natural Resources? Natural resources are materials from nature used with little modification. They include sunlight, air, water, land, minerals, vegetation, and wildlife. Every man-made product comes from natural resources. ### Key Classification #### By Origin - **Biotic**: From living things (e.g., forests, fish, fossil fuels like coal & petroleum). - **Abiotic**: From non-living things (e.g., water, air, metals, rare-earth elements). #### By Renewability - **Renewable**: Can be replenished naturally. Examples: solar, wind, water. *Rate of use must be ≤ rate of replenishment.* - **Non-renewable**: Formed over millions of years; cannot be renewed quickly. Examples: fossil fuels, minerals. Once used, they are gone (except metals can be recycled). #### By Stage of Development - **Potential**: Known but not yet used (e.g., oil in rocks not yet drilled). - **Actual**: Surveyed and currently used. - **Reserves**: Part of actual resource that can be profitably extracted in future. - **Stocks**: Surveyed but not usable due to lack of technology (e.g., hydrogen as fuel). #### By Ownership - **Individual**: Privately owned (e.g., a farm). - **Community**: Shared by a community (e.g., a pond). - **National**: Belongs to a nation (e.g., minerals within borders). - **International**: Regulated by global bodies (e.g., international waters). ### Why Does Distribution Matter? Resources are **unevenly distributed** due to past geologic processes. This leads to economic and political conflicts, especially when resources become scarce. Overconsumption causes depletion and environmental damage. ### Sustainability - **Sustainable Development Goals** promote responsible use. - **Circular economy** reduces extraction by reusing, recycling, and relying on renewables. - Key idea: Use renewable resources at a rate they can be replenished; conserve non-renewables. ### Quick Facts - Fossil fuels are **biotic** (from decayed organisms) but **non-renewable**. - Metals are **abiotic** and can be recycled; coal and petroleum cannot. - Renewable ≠ unlimited; overuse can deplete them (e.g., overfishing).

Natural resource: Materials from nature used with little modification, including sunlight, air, water, land, minerals, vegetation, and wildlife.
Renewable resource: A resource that can be replenished naturally at a rate equal to or greater than consumption (e.g., solar, wind, water).
Non-renewable resource: A resource that forms over geological time scales and cannot be renewed quickly once depleted (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals).
Biotic resource: A resource that originates from living organisms or their remains (e.g., forests, fish, fossil fuels).
Abiotic resource: A resource that comes from non-living, inorganic materials (e.g., water, air, metals, rare-earth elements).
Potential resource: A known resource that has not yet been used (e.g., untapped oil deposits).
Actual resource: A resource that has been surveyed, quantified, and is currently being used.
Reserve: The portion of an actual resource that can be profitably extracted in the future.
Stock: A resource that has been surveyed but cannot be used due to lack of technology (e.g., hydrogen as fuel).
Sustainable development: Development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, often involving responsible resource use.

Flashcards

What are natural resources?

Natural resources are materials from nature used by humans with little modification, including sunlight, water, air, land, minerals, vegetation, and wildlife.

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?

Renewable resources can be replenished naturally at a rate that keeps up with consumption (e.g., solar, wind). Non-renewable resources form over millions of years and are consumed faster than they are replenished (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals).

Give two examples of biotic resources.

Biotic resources come from living things: forests (timber) and fisheries (fish). Fossil fuels like coal are also biotic because they come from decayed organic matter.

Give two examples of abiotic resources.

Abiotic resources come from non-living material: water and metal ores (e.g., iron, copper).

What are potential resources?

Potential resources are known to exist but are not yet used, like petroleum trapped in sedimentary rocks that hasn't been extracted.

What are actual resources?

Actual resources have been surveyed, quantified, and are currently being used, such as wood that is harvested for lumber.

What are reserves?

Reserves are the part of an actual resource that can be profitably developed in the future.

What are stocks?

Stocks are resources that have been surveyed but cannot be used yet due to lack of technology, like hydrogen for vehicles.

Why are fossil fuels considered non-renewable?

Fossil fuels take millions of years to form from decayed organic matter, so they are consumed much faster than they are replenished.

Can metallic minerals be recycled?

Yes, metallic minerals like iron and copper can be recycled, but coal and petroleum cannot be recycled.

What is an example of a continuously available renewable resource?

Solar energy is continuously available and its quantity is not noticeably affected by human consumption.

Why is groundwater considered a resource that is unevenly distributed?

Groundwater distribution depends on past geologic processes like rock porosity and aquifer formation, so some regions have abundant groundwater while others have little.

What causes the uneven distribution of mineral resources?

Mineral deposits form through specific geologic processes (e.g., volcanic activity, sedimentation) that occur only in certain locations, leading to uneven distribution.

What are individual resources?

Individual resources are privately owned, such as a person's house, plantation, or pond.

What are community resources?

Community resources are accessible to all members of a community, like a cemetery or a public park.

What are national resources?

National resources belong to the nation and include minerals, forests, and wildlife within the country's borders and exclusive economic zone.

What are international resources?

International resources are regulated by international organizations, such as international waters.

How can overuse affect renewable resources?

Even renewable resources can be depleted if consumption exceeds the rate of natural replenishment, e.g., overfishing or deforestation.

What is the role of technology in resource classification?

Technology determines whether a resource is a stock (not yet usable) or an actual resource (currently usable).

Why are natural resources often a source of conflict?

Uneven distribution and scarcity can lead to economic and political disputes within and between countries, especially during shortages.

What is the circular economy?

The circular economy is an economic model that reduces resource extraction by focusing on reuse, recycling, and renewable resources.

Give an example of a resource that is both biotic and non-renewable.

Fossil fuels like coal are biotic (from decayed organisms) and non-renewable because they take millions of years to form.

What is the difference between a potential resource and a reserve?

A potential resource is known but not used; a reserve is part of an actual resource that can be profitably developed in the future.

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