Our Earth’s Resources

We use things the Earth gives us to help us live better lives

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UGRC 143 : SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN OUR LIVES

SECOND SEMESTER : 2014/2015 ACADEMIC YEAR

EARTH RESOURCES

Dr. Larry Pax ChegbelehDepartment of Earth ScienceUniversity of Ghana, Legon

OVERVIEW

Purpose and Objectives of lesson Introduction Resources Earth resources Resources management The rock cycle, formation and

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Purpose and Objectives

This lesson is to enable you understand what resources are and how to manage them for sustainable livelihood

It is expected that by the end of the lesson you should be able to …..

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Purpose and Objectives

Define resources in general and earth resources in particular

Identify various categories of resources Differentiate between resources and

reserves Define the types of rocks Explain the formation of the rock types State the major classifications of rocks

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Introduction

To some extend you have prior knowledge of what resources are

More understanding is required to know their differences

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What are Resources?

All those things that are necessary or important to human life and civilization

A source or supply from which benefit is derived or produced

Any material that can be transformed to produce benefit

What are Resources? Typical examples include:

Materials Knowledge Staff (Human resources) skills, energy, talent

and knowledge used for the production of goods or rendering of services

Services Energy Other things that are transformed to produce

benefit

What are Resources? The benefit derived can be utilized/consumed

or made unavailable in the process Some of the benefits of using resources

include: Increase in wealth Meeting our needs Proper functioning of a system Enhancing well being

How we use them We use resources to make things and to

grow things we need

Examples of things we use include: Water to drink and grow plants for food,

shelter, and clothing. Soil to grow plants for food, shelter, and

clothing. Rocks for building and jewelry.

How we use them

Metals to make cans, building parts, and jewelry.

Sand to make glass. Oil to make plastics and gasoline.

Earth or Natural Resources Resources that are involved in or formed by

geologic processes From human point of view is anything

obtained from the environment to satisfy human needs

From ecological or biological view point is anything that satisfies the needs of living organisms

Earth or Natural ResourcesExamples of earth resources include

Groundwater Soil Rocks Minerals Oil and gas

Classification of Earth or Natural Resources

Earth resources are classified into various categories based on:

Source of origin Stage of development Renewability or replenishment

Classification of Earth or Natural Resources

Based on origin, resources may categorized into:

Biotic: - these are obtained from the biosphere (living and organic material)

▪ Examples: forests and animals and materials that can be obtained from them

▪ Coal and petroleum are formed from decayed organic materials

Classification of Earth or Natural Resources

Abiotic: - these are those that come from non-living and non-organic materials

▪ Examples include: air, fresh water, land, minerals

Classification of Earth or Natural Resources

Based on stage of development, resources may categorized into:

Potential resources: - these are those that exist in an area or region and are recoverable in the future

▪ Example: petroleum may occur in various regions, until it is actually drilled out, developed and put into use, it remains a potential resource

Classification of Earth or Natural Resources

Actual resources: - these are those that that have been investigated and quantified and being used in present times

Reserved resources: the part of an actual resource that can be developed profitably with available technology

Stock resources: those that have been investigated but can not be put to use due to lack of technology

Classification of Earth or Natural Resources

Based on the time required to replace the quantity of resources used (renewability) or consumed, resources can beRenewableNonrenewableInexhaustible (Perpetual resources)

Renewable ResourcesResources that can be replenished over fairly

short spans of time, such as months, years, or decades (e.g., trees)

Can be replenished naturallyFrom human perspective, rate of replenishment

or recovery exceeds that of consumptionCan be depleted by human consumption

Nonrenewable Resources

Rate of consumption exceeds rate of replenishment or recovery (time needed to create >>> time needed to consume).

Form slowly or do not naturally form in the environment (may take millions of years to form and accumulate)

E.g. fossil fuels (petroleum)

Inexhaustible ResourcesThese are available continuously

Their quantity is not affected by human consumption

We shall never run out, like sunlight, air, and wind

However it can be ruined by pollution.

Resources may also be categorized based on distribution

Ubiquitous resources: these are found everywhere in the world (e.g. air, light and water)

Localized resources: these are found in certain parts of the world or within certain localities (e.g. Iron ore, copper ore and geothermal power)

ExceptionsAll earth resources, except groundwater, are nonrenewable

Resources, People and standards of living

The more people on earthoThe more water we consumeoThe more food we grow/eat

oThe more fuel we burn

oThe more minerals we use

Resources, People and standards of living

Rates of resources used even increasing faster than rate of population increase.

Why?

Resources, People and standards of living

o Elevated standards of living.

o improvements in life-styles hence, increasing quantities of manufactured goods ( cars, clothes, computers, etc.)

End of Lesson