Humans and Earth's Resources

Imagine you reside in a city close to a big river. You are a member of a team "The Angry Birds" researching the effects of switching your city from fossil fuels to hydropower on the environment.

Which two concerns should you take into account as potential outcomes?

• • Toxic waste created by nuclear reactions

• • Harm to fish and other organisms in the river

• • Decrease in carbon dioxide production

• • Danger to birds that live in your region

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Imagine you are in charge of helping a town named Greenville choose the form of energy best suited to the needs and preferences of its citizens. Use this information to help you make a decision:

• The people of Greenville want to reduce their production of greenhouse gases.

• The people of Greenville do not want to risk harming any fish or wildlife.

• Greenville has a large amount of land available, but no large rivers.

• Greenville is sunny for much of the year.

Which form of energy would best suit Greenville's needs and preferences?

• Solar power

• Hydropower

• Coal

• Natural gas

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Tyger Jellybean the farmer grows wheat near a river. He frequently uses fertilizer on his fields, and when he waters the fields, excess water runs off into the river.

What should the farmer be most careful to monitor to determine his farm's impact on water quality?

• pH of rainwater falling on the farm

• Amount of water in the farm's soil

• Type of fish in the river

• Level of nitrates in runoff water

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As the human population grows, the size of cities increases. As cities grow, more land must be cleared to make way for homes, businesses, and roads.

Which TWO events would be likely effects of replacing a forested area with an urban area?

• • Less erosion of soil as plants covering the ground are added to gardens

• • More trees because of increased solar energy in the area

• • More air pollution because there are fewer trees to take in carbon dioxide

• • Fewer birds and other wildlife because they have fewer places to live

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Which type of energy resource is most dependent on weather conditions?

• Nuclear Energy

• Geothermal energy

• Solar Energy

• Fossil Fuels

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One cell phone contains many metals, including about 25 g of aluminum, about 15 g of copper, about 0.03 g of gold, and about 0.3 g of silver.

Based on this information, which resource is most likely used to make cell phones?

• An underground deposit of minerals

• An old-growth forest of tall trees

• A large river and its streams

• A farm with sheep and cattle

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Biomass is considered an "alternative" energy resource. This means that it can be used instead of a fossil fuel. In which way is biomass SIMILAR to fossil fuels?

• Both depend on the weather.

• Both are easily replenished.

• Both can be quickly made from corn.

• Both are burned for energy.

Which resource is NONRENEWABLE?

• COPPER

• SOYBEANS

• SUNLIGHT

• CATTLE

Which statement is best supported by the evidence on the map?

• Iron ore is found mostly in northern Africa.

• Oil is produced mostly in the southern part of Africa.

• Gold is found in every country in Africa.

• Each country in Africa has about the same amount of each natural resource.

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Mr. HoneyBooty is asking his friend Mr. Skibidi, which activity is the most direct use of land as a natural resource?

• Getting energy from sunshine

• Growing plants in soil

• Drinking water

• Breathing air