Ch. 12: Using Earth Materials

Vocabulary:natural resource, mineral, rock, ore, fuel,

fossil fuel, nonrenewable resource, renewable resource

Natural Resources

• Natural resources are things in nature that people find useful.

• There are many types of natural resources.

• Some natural resources are renewable, others are nonrenewable.

Nonrenewable Resources

• Nonrenewable resources are things that we cannot easily replace.

• Nonrenewable resources include minerals, rocks, oil, coal, and natural gas.

• Some of these resources take millions of years to replace.

Minerals, Rocks, and Ores

• A mineral is a solid non-living material that is found in or under the ground.

• You can find many minerals around your home.Minerals What You Can Do With Them

Aluminum Make wires, cans, car and airplane parts, sports equipment

Calcite Make cement and concrete for buildings, sidewalks, and bridges

Copper Make wire

Halite (Table Salt) Make foods taste better, preserve foods, melt ice on roads or sidewalks

Iron Make steel for cars, ships, buildings, tools, and appliances

Minerals, Rocks, and Ores

• Rocks are large groups of many different kinds of minerals all smashed together.

• For example, granite is made of two minerals named quartz and feldspar.

• An ore is a type of rock that contains metal.

Rock What You Can Do With Them

Granite Used for buildings, countertops, statues, and tombstones

Limestone Used as a building stone and to make concrete

Marble Used as a building stone and for statues, floors, and bathroom tiles

Pumice Used in toothpaste, scouring cleansers, and polishing materials

Slate Used for roofs, chalkboards, and walkways

Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas

• Oil, coal, and natural gas come from deep inside the Earth, well below other minerals, rocks, or ores.

• All three of them are fossil fuels, because they are created from the decaying bodies of plants and animals from millions of years ago.

• Oil, coal, and natural gas are terrific fuels.• A fuel is a material that can be burned in order to release

energy.• Oil is a special material, because not only is used to burn as

fuel, but it is also used to make plastics.• Plastics are easier to mold and make things out of than wood

or metal.

Renewable Resources

• A renewable resource is one that can be replaced easily.

• Some renewable resources include sunlight, wind, plants, and animals.

• Many renewable and nonrenewable resources are used to make electricity.

Questions About Chapter 12

1. What are the two main categories of natural resources?

2. Name four natural resources that are used to make electricity.

3. What are three things that are considered renewable resources?

4. What mineral is used to make steel?