2. Natural Resources
1.
Natural resources are parts of the environment used
by living organisms for food, shelter, and all other
needs.
a.
Examples: water, air, food, plants
b.
Materials and energy needed to make cars, books,
computers, gasoline and electricity
c.
Renewable and nonrenewable resources
3. 1. Renewable Resources
A. Renewable resource is a natural resource that
is recycled or replaced by ongoing natural
processes.
B. Examples:
1. Water and carbon cycle through the Earth.
2. Food
3. trees
4. 2. Nonrenewable Resources
A. A nonrenewable resource is a natural
resource that cannot be replaced once they
are gone
B. Petroleum, also known as crude oil, is a thick
greasy liquid formed from the bodies of
organisms that died hundreds of millions
years ago.
5. C. Examples:
1. Minerals ( diamonds, sand, gravel, the graphite
used to make pencils)
2. Metals( gold, silver, copper, tin)
3. Top soil – takes hundreds of years to replace
4. Forest – “
“
“
D. It is the raw material used to make: fuels,
gasoline, plastics, chemicals, pesticides,
fertilizers
6. 3. Fossil Fuels
A. Fossil Fuels include coal, natural gas, oil,
gasoline, heating oil and kerosene.
B. However, the burning of fossil fuels is
polluting our air and water, and put carbon in
the air (greenhouse effect)
C. Used in: creating electricity, cars, factories
7. 4. Solar energy
A. Photovoltaic cells are wafers made of the
mineral silicon covered with thin layers of
metal
B. When the sun’s light hits these layers,
electricity is created
C. No Pollution
D. Problems: It is very expensive
8. 5. Water and Wind Power
A. Hydroelectric power is electricity
produced by the energy of flowing water
B. Extremely efficient and NO POLLUTION
C. Wind power – a wind mill is a turbine that
is rotated by the wind and created
energy (electricity)
D. But if not windy – no power!!!
9. 6. Geothermal Energy – energy
from Earth
A. Is energy that is thermal energy in the
Earth's crust
B. Geothermal power plants take steam, heat
or hot water and spins generators to
produce electricity
C. Very clean – little or no waste, reliable,
easy on land
10. 9. Nuclear Energy
a. Nuclear energy is produced when billions
of uranium nuclei are split apart in a
nuclear fission reaction.
b. NO AIR POLLUTION
c. Problems:
– The mining of uranium: disturbs land
ecosystems
– Nuclear power plants produce radioactive
waste., which needs to be disposed of
properly.
11. Questions
1. What are natural resources?
2. Compare and contrast renewable and
nonrenewable resources.
3. Explain how fossil fuels could be
considered a form of solar energy.
