Download - Natural Resources How are resources used? What are the effects of using natural resources?
Natural Resources
How are resources used? What are the effects of using
natural resources?
Fossil Fuels• Fuels formed
hundreds of millions of years ago from the remains of dead plants and animals
• They are a non-renewable resource
• Types of Fossil Fuels: coal, oil and natural gas
Natural Resources
• Renewable Resources
• Any resource that can be replaced by nature
• Examples: Soil, water, living things
• Non-Renewable • Any resource that
cannot be replaced by nature
• Examples: Fossil fuels and minerals
Uses of Fossil Fuels• Coal is used to
generate electricity• Natural gas is used to
heat homes• Oil is used to make
gasoline for transportation
• Industry/factories use lots of fossil fuels
• Main source of energy for electricity, homes, gasoline and factories.
Problems with Fossil Fuels
• In 100 years we will have used up all of our fossil fuel reserves
• Pollution is formed when fossil fuels are burned.
Alternative Sources Of Energy
• Solar energy, wind energy, and hydro-electric energy can be used instead of the fossil fuels.
• Also, geothermal, tidal, biomass, and hydrogen
• Alternative energy sources produce less pollution than fossil fuels
Solar Energy
• Solar energy used to heat buildings and to produce electricity.
• Photovoltaic cell- converts sunlight to electricity
• Problems w/ solar energy: – Sun doesn’t always
shine- Solar panels are
expensive
Other Alternative Sources
• Alternative energy sources have their downfalls
• Wind/water/sunlight are not predictable
• It is expensive to convert to a new energy source
The Earth’s Water Supply
• 97% of all water is in the oceans
• 3% freshwater is found in groundwater, lakes, and rivers
• Our water supply is being polluted very rapidly
Freshwater Supply
• Most of our freshwater comes from ground water
• New sources of fresh water include: desalination and melting glaciers
The Water Cycle
• Precipitation - water vapor falls from atmosphere (rain, hail, snow, sleet)
• Evaporation - water is pulled from the surface and changes into a gas
• Condensation - water vapor cools and condenses into clouds - precipitation
• Run-Off- water moves with gravity - downhill
Pollution
• When substances are released into the environment that change the environment for the worse
• 3 kinds of pollution- air, land, water
* Human activity and factories are the main causes of pollution
Land Pollution
• Obtaining and using certain energy sources such as fossil fuels can pollute the land.
• Wastes from factories can pollute the land
• Nuclear power plants dispose radioactive wastes
• Garbage pollutes the land in landfills
Air Pollution
• Automobiles and factories are the biggest sources of air pollution
• Smog - thick, brown haze that forms when chemicals are in air
• Acid rain - chemicals in air cause rain to be more acidic
Water Pollution
• Causes of water pollution include:oils spills, factories dumping waste products into rivers and lakes, sewage being dumped and agricultural run-off
Reducing Pollution
• Everyone should conserve energy when possible
• Scientists need to find cleaner ways to use energy
• Everyone needs to make sure that wastes are disposed of in the safest possible way
• RECYCLE