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NaturalNaturalResourcesResources::

Vital and Vital and InvaluableInvaluable

WHAT ARE NATURAL WHAT ARE NATURAL RESOURCES?RESOURCES? Natural resources are materials that occur Natural resources are materials that occur

in nature that are essential or useful to in nature that are essential or useful to humans, such as water, air, land, forests, humans, such as water, air, land, forests, fish and wildlife, topsoil, and minerals.fish and wildlife, topsoil, and minerals.

Natural resources can be split up into two Natural resources can be split up into two types: types: renewablerenewable and and non-renewablenon-renewable..

RENEWABLE RESOURCE:RENEWABLE RESOURCE:

A resource that can be continually A resource that can be continually replaced by natural processes.replaced by natural processes.

Examples: trees, fish, oxygen, and fresh Examples: trees, fish, oxygen, and fresh water.water.

Examples in the classroom:Examples in the classroom:

NON-RENEWABLE NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE:RESOURCE:

A resource that cannot be replaced by A resource that cannot be replaced by natural processes and therefore can be natural processes and therefore can be used up completelyused up completely

Examples: fossil fuels (like oil, coal, and Examples: fossil fuels (like oil, coal, and gas) and minerals.gas) and minerals.

Examples in the classroom:Examples in the classroom:

A forest is any area with a lot of A forest is any area with a lot of trees. There are forests all over the trees. There are forests all over the world. The type of forest varies world. The type of forest varies depending on the location of the depending on the location of the forest: for example, there are forest: for example, there are tropical rain forests, coniferous tropical rain forests, coniferous forests, and deciduous forests.forests, and deciduous forests.

ForestsForests

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ForestsForests

Forests occur naturally, but they Forests occur naturally, but they can be affected positively and can be affected positively and negatively by human behavior. If negatively by human behavior. If a forest is carefully replanted a forest is carefully replanted and allowed to grow, it can exist and allowed to grow, it can exist in balance. If the forest is cut in balance. If the forest is cut down faster than it can grow down faster than it can grow back, then it will be used up back, then it will be used up quickly.quickly.

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ForestsForestsForests serve as home to Forests serve as home to many of the organisms many of the organisms that live on the land. that live on the land. Forests are also very Forests are also very important because they important because they are major contributors to are major contributors to recycling and cleaning recycling and cleaning the world supply of the world supply of oxygen. Forests also oxygen. Forests also provide wood, which is provide wood, which is useful both as a useful both as a construction material construction material and as a fuel source.and as a fuel source.

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1. What is a forest?1. What is a forest?2. Where can forests be found?2. Where can forests be found?3. Are forests a renewable resource?3. Are forests a renewable resource?4. How can forests be used as an 4. How can forests be used as an energy source?energy source?5. In what ways are forests a good 5. In what ways are forests a good source of energy?source of energy?6. What are the disadvantages to using 6. What are the disadvantages to using forests as a source of energy?forests as a source of energy?7. How do you use the resource of 7. How do you use the resource of forests in your life, if at all?forests in your life, if at all?

Questions About Questions About ForestsForests

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Fossil FuelsFossil FuelsFossil fuels take millions of Fossil fuels take millions of years to form. They are the years to form. They are the product of the fossilized product of the fossilized remains of dead plants and remains of dead plants and animals that have been animals that have been exposed to the heat and exposed to the heat and pressure deep within the pressure deep within the earth’s crust. There are many earth’s crust. There are many types of fossil fuels, such as types of fossil fuels, such as petroleum (gasoline), natural petroleum (gasoline), natural gas, and coal.gas, and coal.

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Fossil FuelsFossil FuelsFossil fuels are arguably Fossil fuels are arguably one of the most valuable one of the most valuable natural resources in natural resources in modern times. It is modern times. It is estimated that 86 percent of estimated that 86 percent of the world’s energy comes the world’s energy comes directly from burning fossil directly from burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the fuels. Fossil fuels are the source of energy for almost source of energy for almost every machine, including every machine, including the generators that produce the generators that produce electric energy.electric energy.

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Fossil FuelsFossil FuelsBecause fossil fuels take so Because fossil fuels take so long to form, they are being long to form, they are being consumed faster than they consumed faster than they can be produced. Fossil can be produced. Fossil fuels are a major contributor fuels are a major contributor to air pollution because to air pollution because when they are burned they when they are burned they release many dangerous release many dangerous gases such as nitrogen gases such as nitrogen dioxide, methane, and dioxide, methane, and carbon dioxide.carbon dioxide.

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Questions Questions About About

Fossil FuelsFossil Fuels1.1. What creates or causes fossil What creates or causes fossil

fuels?fuels?2. Where can fossil fuels be found?2. Where can fossil fuels be found?3. Are fossil fuels a renewable 3. Are fossil fuels a renewable

resource?resource?4. How can fossil fuels be used as an 4. How can fossil fuels be used as an

energy source?energy source?5. In what ways are fossil fuels a good 5. In what ways are fossil fuels a good

source of energy?source of energy?6. What are the disadvantages to 6. What are the disadvantages to

using fossil fuels as a source of using fossil fuels as a source of energy?energy?

7. How do you use the resource of 7. How do you use the resource of fossil fuels in your life, if at all?fossil fuels in your life, if at all?

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Solar Solar EnergyEnergy

The sun is the closest The sun is the closest star to Earth. It brings star to Earth. It brings heat and light to the heat and light to the world. Some areas of world. Some areas of the world, such as the world, such as those closest to the those closest to the equator, have more equator, have more sun than others.sun than others.

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Solar EnergySolar Energy

The sun shines naturally The sun shines naturally but it is not affected by but it is not affected by human activity. It cannot human activity. It cannot be used up. However, its be used up. However, its intensity varies with the intensity varies with the seasons, and it is not seasons, and it is not available at night.available at night.

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Solar Solar EnergyEnergy

The sun’s rays are used The sun’s rays are used for energy by organisms for energy by organisms that undergo that undergo photosynthesis. Nearly photosynthesis. Nearly every organism on the every organism on the planet gets energy planet gets energy through photosynthesis, through photosynthesis, directly or indirectly. directly or indirectly. There are also ways that There are also ways that people can utilize the people can utilize the energy that the sun energy that the sun provides. provides.

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Solar Solar EnergyEnergy

We can use solar We can use solar power in simple power in simple (facing the sun to get (facing the sun to get warm, using warm, using greenhouses to grow greenhouses to grow food, etc.) and more food, etc.) and more complex (solar panels complex (solar panels for heating) ways.for heating) ways.

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1. What creates or causes solar 1. What creates or causes solar energy?energy?2. Where can solar energy be 2. Where can solar energy be found?found?3. Is solar energy a renewable 3. Is solar energy a renewable resource?resource?4. How can solar energy be used 4. How can solar energy be used as an energy source?as an energy source?5. In what ways is solar energy a 5. In what ways is solar energy a good source of energy?good source of energy?6. What are the disadvantages to 6. What are the disadvantages to using solar energy as a source using solar energy as a source of energy?of energy?7. How do you use the resource of 7. How do you use the resource of solar energy in your life, if at all?solar energy in your life, if at all?

Questions About Questions About Solar Energy Solar Energy

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Wind is caused by Wind is caused by the uneven heating the uneven heating of the atmosphere. of the atmosphere. Some areas of the Some areas of the world, such as costal world, such as costal regions, have more regions, have more wind than others wind than others because the terrain because the terrain of the area is of the area is relatively flat and relatively flat and has few obstacles to has few obstacles to block the wind from block the wind from blowing.blowing.

WindWind

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WindWindThe wind blows naturally – it is not The wind blows naturally – it is not caused by human activity, and it caused by human activity, and it cannot be used up.cannot be used up.

The power of the wind drives The power of the wind drives sailboats. It has been used to sailboats. It has been used to power windmills that grind grain. power windmills that grind grain. Windmills can also use the circular Windmills can also use the circular movement of the blades to turn a movement of the blades to turn a turbine. This is increasingly used turbine. This is increasingly used as a means of generating as a means of generating electricity.electricity. ©2009 abcteach.com

WindWindWind power does not make Wind power does not make greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse gas emissions. It does not directly cause It does not directly cause pollution. However, critics pollution. However, critics of wind power say a large of wind power say a large number of windmills could number of windmills could cause problems for cause problems for animals, especially animals, especially migratory birds. Some migratory birds. Some people think the windmills people think the windmills are unattractive.are unattractive.

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1. What creates or causes wind?2. Where can wind be found?3. Is wind a renewable resource?4. How can wind be used as an energy source?5. In what ways is wind a good source of energy?6. What are the disadvantages to using wind as a source of energy?7. How do you use the resource of wind in your life, if at all?

Questions About Questions About WindWind

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