Natural Resources

Natural Resources

Middle School

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Learning Objectives

• Define natural resources and classify them by their origin and if they can be renewed.

• Tell the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources with examples for each type.

• Explain why it is important to conserve essential resources like soil and water.

• Analyze the environmental impacts of using resources and the idea of sustainable use.

• Evaluate the pros and cons of different energy sources, like fossil fuels and alternatives.

Key Vocabulary

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Natural Resource

Materials from nature that are useful or essential for life and are used by people everywhere.

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Renewable Resource

A resource that can be replaced by nature in a short amount of time, like a human lifetime.

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Nonrenewable Resource

A natural resource that is in a fixed amount and can be completely used up over time.

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Sustainable Use

Using resources to meet our needs without harming the needs of people in the future.

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Air Pollution

Harmful substances released into the atmosphere, primarily from human activities like factories and cars.

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Soil

A mix of eroded rocks, minerals, and organic material that is essential for plant life to grow.

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What Are Natural Resources?

Biotic Resources

• Biotic resources come from living things or materials that were once living.

• Examples include timber from forests, fish from the ocean, and agricultural crops.

• Fossil fuels are also biotic as they are formed from decayed organic matter.

Abiotic Resources

• Abiotic resources are obtained from non-living parts of the natural environment.

• These include essential resources like water, the air we breathe, and sunlight.

• Metals and minerals, such as iron and copper, are also abiotic resources.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the best example of a biotic resource?

• Coal

• Copper

• Sunlight

• Water

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Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources

Renewable Resources

• These resources can be replaced naturally within a person's lifetime or even faster.

• Some resources like sunlight and air are always available and are not reduced by our use.

• Others like water and fish can run out if we use them faster than they can renew.

Nonrenewable Resources

• These resources exist in a fixed amount and cannot be replaced once they are all used.

• They include fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, which took millions of years to form.

• Since we use them much faster than they are made, these resources will eventually run out.

Multiple Choice

Why are fossil fuels like coal and oil considered nonrenewable resources?

• Because they come from non-living sources.

• Because they replenish within a few years.

• Because they can be recycled after use.

• Because they take millions of years to form, and we use them much faster.

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Essential Resources: Soil and Water

Soil

• ​Soil is a nonrenewable resource that is essential for growing the plants we use for food.

• ​​It can take up to 500,000 years for just one inch of topsoil to form naturally.

• ​Poor farming practices can wear away soil, a process called erosion, which harms the land.

Fresh Water

• ​Only about 1% of the water on our planet is liquid fresh water that we can use.

• ​​Although renewable, local water sources can be used up faster than nature can refill them.

• ​Human activities, like dumping waste from factories, can pollute water and make it unsafe to use.

Multiple Choice

According to the lesson, which of these is a major threat to soil quality?

• Poor farming practices

• Excess sunlight

• Rainfall

• Soil naturally forming over time

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Resource Management and Impacts

Sustainable Use

• Sustainable use means using resources so they are available for future generations.

• Over-fishing is an example that has depleted fish populations in the ocean.

• Conservation is the wise use of natural resources to prevent them from running out.

Harmful Exploitation

• Exploiting resources often causes significant, long-lasting harm to the environment.

• The Bingham Canyon Mine, for instance, led to the destruction of a mountain.

• This mining also released hazardous materials, such as lead, into the air and water.

Multiple Choice

What is the core principle of 'sustainable use'?

• Only using nonrenewable resources.

• Meeting present needs without compromising the needs of the future.

• Stopping all use of natural resources immediately.

• Using all resources as quickly as possible.

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Pollution and Climate Change

• The atmosphere provides essential gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide for life.

• Burning fossil fuels pollutes our air, which can cause damaging acid rain.

• Gases can damage the ozone layer, reducing protection from harmful UV rays.

• More carbon dioxide (CO₂) traps heat, causing global warming and climate change.

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Multiple Choice

According to the text, what is the primary human activity that leads to air pollution, acid rain, and an increase in the greenhouse effect?

• Burning of fossil fuels

• Fishing

• Farming

• Desalination of water

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Energy Sources: Fossil Fuels vs. Alternatives

Fossil Fuels

• These nonrenewable fuels like coal, oil, and gas are relatively cheap and easy to transport.

• Burning them releases greenhouse gases, which contributes to the warming of our planet.

• Mining for these fuels can damage the environment and cause health problems for workers.

Alternative Energy

• Nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases but creates dangerous radioactive waste.

• Renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydropower are clean and better for the environment.

• However, they can be expensive to build and are not always available for use.

Multiple Choice

Which of these energy sources produces no greenhouse gases but creates hazardous, radioactive waste?

• Coal

• Solar

• Natural Gas

• Nuclear

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Common Misconceptions About Natural Resources

Misconception	Correction
Renewable resources like water and forests can never run out.	They can be used up if consumed faster than they are replaced.
Natural resources are used exactly as they are found in nature.	Many resources must be processed to become useful products.
Minerals are destroyed when they are used, like fossil fuels.	Minerals are not destroyed and can often be recycled and reused.
The greenhouse effect is entirely man-made and always harmful.	It is a natural process, but human activities have increased its effect.

Multiple Choice

How does the extremely slow rate of topsoil formation affect its classification as a resource for humans?

• It is a biotic resource because it contains organic material.

• It is considered a potential resource because we cannot use it.

• It is effectively a nonrenewable resource because it cannot be replaced within a human lifespan.

• It is considered a renewable resource because it eventually comes back.

Multiple Choice

According to the lesson, which of these is a major reason fresh water can become unavailable for use?

• Most of Earth’s water is salt water

• Local water sources can be depleted faster than they refill

• Water naturally evaporates every year

• Rivers and lakes never receive rain

Multiple Choice

Why would a community use hydropower despite the environmental risks to local wildlife?

• Because dams are temporary and can be easily removed.

• Because it can operate effectively in any location on Earth.

• Because it produces no greenhouse gases and uses free, renewable water.

• Because it is the cheapest energy source to set up.

Multiple Choice

A country relies heavily on copper mining. According to the lesson, what is a major concern with this practice?

• Mining has no impact on the environment

• Copper naturally replenishes itself quickly

• Mining reduces greenhouse gas emissions

• Mining can destroy landscapes and release hazardous materials

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Summary

• Natural resources are biotic (living) or abiotic (non-living).

• They can be renewable (can be refilled) or nonrenewable (a fixed amount).

• Using resources like fossil fuels can cause pollution and harm the environment.

• We must conserve resources by recycling and using clean energy for the future.

Poll

On a scale of 1-4, how confident are you about the concepts covered in today's review?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4