Human Dependence on Natural Resources

People try to conserve some resources, like fossil fuels, because they are not replaceable. Why can’t these resources be replaced?

• They must be transported long distances.
• Processes that make them take a long time.
• No one can afford to buy more of them.
• It is impossible to extract more from the earth.

People move into and begin living in an area that previously had no human activity. What will most likely be the effect on the amount of water

• Water will be more evenly distributed in the area.
• Most of the fresh water in the area will be converted to salt water.
• The amount of fresh water suitable for drinking will increase.
• There will be less available for other living things.

In all of the following examples, the quantity of the resource being used by humans is affected EXCEPT –

• petroleum taken from the ground and burned for fuel.
• fresh water used for agriculture, recreation, and tourism.
• wind power used to provide energy for homes and businesses.
• metal ores mined and used to create building materials.

Metal ores are often formed in locations that had volcanic activity in the past. What information about an area would provide the best evidence that metal ores could be found there in the present?

• Evidence that volcanoes in the area are currently active
• Evidence that humans in the area use lots of metal ores
• Evidence that metal ores had been brought to the area by ancient humans
• Evidence that the area had active volcanoes long ago

The whole mass of air surrounding the Earth made up of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and other trace gases.

• Atmosphere
• Biosphere
• lithosphere
• bigosphere

Able to be replaced or regenerated in a short period of time.

• Nonrenewable
• Renewable

The sum of all living matter on Earth.

• Atmosphere
• Biosphere
• Lithosphere
• Bigosphere

These resources have a limited amount, and natural processes cannot replace them in a human lifetime

• Renewable
• Nonrenewable

The process by which water moves between Earth’s surface and the air

• water cycle
• wash cycle
• rock cycle
• food cycle