EARTH’S NATURAL RESOURCES

Natural ResourcesDefinition: an actual or potential form of wealth supplied by

nature.

Examples: metals arable land

fossil fuels old-growth forests coal oil water power

Renewable ResourcesDefinition: energy sources that can be recycled or replaced by natural processes in less than 100 years

Advantages: Stays for a long

time They are

constant

Disadvantages: Expensive Can harm

wildlife Not reliable Some put off

carbon dioxide (biomass)

Examples: Sun Wind Water Geothermal

energy

Nonrenewable ResourcesDefinition: resources that cannot be replaced by natural processes

in more than 100 years Advantages: We need it to

make gasoline

Examples: Fossil fuels

Disadvantages: Acid rain Pollution

Fossil FuelsDefinition: an energy resource

formed from the decayed remains of ancient plants and other

organisms Advantages: a chemical energy is changed into heat and light

Examples: Coal Oil Natural gas

Disadvantages: pollutes the atmosphere

CoalDefinition: formed from the remains of ancient swamp

vegetation Advantages: changes a chemical to heat and light

Examples: Lignite Bituminous Anthracite

Disadvantages: pollutes the atmosphere

Oil and Natural GasesDefinition: formed over millions of years

from the decay of algae and other microscopic ocean organisms called

plankton Advantages: Changes into heat and

light Power vehicles Power stoves, ovens,

fireplacesExamples: Lamp oil Gasoline Diesel fuel Crude oil

Disadvantages: Develops over

long periods of time

Air pollution Water pollution

Solar EnergyDefinition: energy from

the sunAdvantages: Renewable Does not cause

hazardous/toxic pollution

Examples: Solar panels Flat mirrors

Disadvantages: We do not have

the technology to harness all of its energy

Cover large areas with solar panels

Noise pollution

Wind EnergyDefinition: energy produced

by windAdvantages: Renewable Nonpolluting

(air, land) Not harmful to

the environment

Does not produce waste

Examples: Windmills wind farms

Disadvantages: Few regions

have winds strong enough to generate electricity on a large scale

Noise pollution

Hydroelectric PowerDefinition: production of electricity using water

Advantages: does not cause pollution and it is renewable

Examples: Niagara Falls Water falls Dams

Disadvantages: Reservoirs

behind the dam can fill up with sediment

Increased erosion

Geothermal EnergyDefinition: heat from the magma

and hot rock that surrounds it that can be used to generate

electricity Advantages: Iceland and

California use hot water and steam from geysers to heat their homes.

Examples: Geysers Hot springs

Disadvantages: Sometimes not

found, close to Earth’s surface

Can release hot, salty water at Earth’s surface

Nuclear EnergyDefinition: energy produced

by splitting the nuclei of certain elements

Advantages: only makes up 8 %

of the total energy used in the U.S.

Power entire cities

Examples: power plants uranium

Disadvantages: Storing nuclear

waste makes its use limited

Radioactive wastes

Nuclear accidents

GroundwaterDefinition: water that soaks

into the ground and collects in small spaces between bits of soil and

rock Advantages: part of water cycle, so it is renewable

Example: Used in

industries and on farms

Disadvantages: it takes a long time for it to move through rock layers

ForestsDefinition: a thick growth of trees

and underbrush covering an extensive tract of land

Advantages: take in carbon and stores it

Examples: Yellowstone Yosemite

Disadvantages: no forests = more carbon in the atmosphere (might cause global warming)

Mineral ResourcesDefinition: metal objects that

come from rocksAdvantages: Sometimes large

deposits of valuable minerals are found in one place

Can be mined for profit

Example: hematite makes

motorcycle parts and saw blades, diamonds, gold, etc.

Disadvantages: Costs a lot to

get the minerals out of the rocks

Air pollution Water pollution

Abiotic Factors

Definition: any nonliving part of the environment

Examples: Air current Temperature Moisture Light Soil

Biotic Factors

Definition: any living or once living organism in the environment

Examples: Animals Plants Insects Humans

The End!!!