Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources exercise - Free Printable

Let's solve this Grade 7 Geography worksheet on Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources.

We need to classify each of the 11 resources listed as either Renewable or Non-Renewable. Here's a breakdown with explanations:

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🔹 Renewable Resources:

These are natural resources that can be replenished naturally over time (within a human timescale) and are not depleted when used.

🔸 Non-Renewable Resources:

These are finite resources that take millions of years to form and cannot be replaced once used up.

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Now, let’s go through each one:

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1) Wood / Lumber 🌲
✔ Renewable
→ Trees can be replanted and regrown. If managed sustainably (like in reforestation), wood is renewable.

2) Minerals / Metal ⚒️
✘ Non-Renewable
→ Metals like iron, copper, gold come from mining ores. Once extracted, they cannot be replaced in a human lifetime.

3) Oil 🛢️
✘ Non-Renewable
→ Fossil fuel formed from ancient organic matter over millions of years. Cannot be replenished quickly.

4) Plastic 🧴
✘ Non-Renewable
→ Made from petroleum (oil), which is non-renewable. Plastic itself does not regenerate.

5) Glass 🍷
✘ Non-Renewable (but recyclable)
→ Made from sand (quartz), limestone, and soda ash — raw materials that are mined and finite. While glass can be recycled, the original source materials are not renewable.

6) Solar / Sun ☀️
✔ Renewable
→ The sun produces energy continuously. It will last for billions of years, so solar power is considered renewable.

7) Gas (Natural Gas) 💨
✘ Non-Renewable
→ A fossil fuel formed from decomposed organic matter. Like oil and coal, it takes millions of years to form.

8) Nuclear Power ⚛️
⚠️ Debatable, but generally classified as Non-Renewable
→ Uses uranium or plutonium, which are mined minerals. These are finite and non-renewable. Although nuclear energy is long-lasting per unit, the fuel source is not renewable.

9) Coal 🔥
✘ Non-Renewable
→ Another fossil fuel formed over millions of years. Once burned, it cannot be replaced quickly.

10) Wind 🌬️
✔ Renewable
→ Wind is created by the sun heating the atmosphere and Earth’s rotation. It’s continuous and never runs out.

11) Water / Hydro 💧
✔ Renewable
→ Water cycles through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Hydropower uses flowing water, which is replenished naturally.

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✔ Final Classification:

| # | Resource | Renewable? | Non-Renewable? |
|---|--------------------|------------|----------------|
| 1 | Wood / Lumber | ✔ Yes | ✘ No |
| 2 | Minerals / Metal | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| 3 | Oil | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| 4 | Plastic | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| 5 | Glass | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| 6 | Solar / Sun | ✔ Yes | ✘ No |
| 7 | Gas | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| 8 | Nuclear Power | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| 9 | Coal | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
|10 | Wind | ✔ Yes | ✘ No |
|11 | Water / Hydro | ✔ Yes | ✘ No |

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📝 Summary:

- Renewable: Wood, Solar, Wind, Water/Hydro
- Non-Renewable: Minerals/Metal, Oil, Plastic, Glass, Gas, Nuclear Power, Coal

> Note: Some items like plastic and glass are made from non-renewable sources even if they can be recycled. Their origin determines their classification.

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