Chapter 15 Section 2 What are natural resources? Objective: Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources

Key Terms natural resource: material from the earth that is used by living things conservation: wise use of natural resources

Natural Resources When a spaceship travels into space, it carries everything its crew needs to live. A spaceship must have a supply of food, air, water, and fuel. Earth can be compared to a spaceship. Earth has everything living things need to survive. Materials from the earth that are used by living things are called natural resources.

What is a natural resource? DEFINE What is a natural resource? Answer: A natural resource is a material from the earth that is used by living things.

Renewable Resources Natural resources that can be reused or replaced are called renewable resources. Air, water, soil, and living things are renewable resources.

Renewable Resources The water cycle allows Earth’s water to be used over and over. New soil is formed to replace soil that has been carried away by wind and water. New plants grow to replace those that die. Animals are born to replace animals that die.

What are four renewable resources? 2. LIST What are four renewable resources? Answer: Four renewable resources are air, water, soil, and living things.

Nonrenewable Resources Oil, coal, and natural gas are fossil fuels. They were formed from plants and animals that lived long ago.

Nonrenewable Resources Fossil fuels and minerals are called nonrenewable resources. Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that are not easily replaced by nature or by human effort. Nonrenewable resources can take millions of years to form. Once nonrenewable resources are used up, they are basically gone forever.

What is a nonrenewable resource? 3. DEFINE: What is a nonrenewable resource? Answer: A nonrenewable resource is materials that are formed from plants and animals that lived long ago.

Conservation The wise use of a natural resource is called conservation. As the number of people on Earth gets larger, the need for natural resources increases. People must learn how to use natural resources wisely to help them last longer.

4. ANALYZE: What happens to the need for natural resources as Earth’s population grows? Answer: As Earth’s population grows the need for natural resources increases.

Classwork CHECKING CONCEPTS Water, soil and air are ________ natural resources. Oil is a ___________ natural resource. Natural resources come from _______. Fossil fuels ______ be reused or replaced. The wise use of natural resources is called __________. renewable nonrenewable the Earth can not conservation

Classwork THINKING CRITICALLY 6. CLASSIFY: Classify each of the following as a renewable or nonrenewable resource: trees, coal, nitrogen, people, diamonds, water, natural gas, soil, oil, and iron. trees - renewable diamonds - nonrenewable oil - nonrenewable coal - nonrenewable water - renewable iron - nonrenewable nitrogen - nonrenewable natural gas - nonrenewable people - renewable soil - renewable

Classwork THINKING CRITICALLY 7. CONCLUDE: Why is it important to conserve even renewable resources? Possible answer: It is important to conserve renewable resources because they do not renew instantly.