Renewable Resources Worksheets | Worsheets library - Free Printable

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Worksheet: Renewable or Nonrenewable?

#### Definitions (from the box):
- Renewable resources will not run out. Sunlight is a renewable resource.
- Nonrenewable resources will run out if we use too much. Fossil fuels like oil and coal are nonrenewable resources. If we use them up, we cannot get more.

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Part 1: Write "renewable" or "nonrenewable" for each.

1. Wind
→ Wind is constantly replenished by natural processes (sun heating the Earth).
✔ Renewable

2. Wood
→ Trees can be replanted and regrown. As long as we manage forests sustainably, wood is renewable.
✔ Renewable

3. Oil
→ Oil is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years from ancient plants and animals. It takes a very long time to form and cannot be replaced quickly.
✔ Nonrenewable

4. Sunlight
→ The sun produces energy continuously. It’s expected to last for billions of years.
✔ Renewable

5. Water
→ Water cycles through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. It is naturally replenished.
✔ Renewable (Note: While water is renewable, in some regions it may be scarce due to pollution or overuse.)

6. Metal ore
→ Metals like iron, copper, etc., come from mining. Once extracted, they take millions of years to form again.
✔ Nonrenewable

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Answers:

| Resource | Type |
|--------------|--------------------|
| wind | renewable |
| wood | renewable |
| oil | nonrenewable |
| sunlight | renewable |
| water | renewable |
| metal ore | nonrenewable |

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Part 2: Write how you use one renewable resource and one nonrenewable resource.

Example Answer:

- Renewable resource: I use sunlight to dry my clothes on a clothesline outside. This uses solar energy, which is renewable because the sun keeps shining every day.

- Nonrenewable resource: I use gasoline to power my family’s car. Gasoline comes from oil, which is a fossil fuel and takes millions of years to form. Once we use it all up, we can’t make more.

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✔ Final Answer Summary:

Fill-in-the-blank answers:
1. wind – renewable
2. wood – renewable
3. oil – nonrenewable
4. sunlight – renewable
5. water – renewable
6. metal ore – nonrenewable

Written response example:
- Renewable: I use sunlight to power solar lights in my house.
- Nonrenewable: I use electricity from coal-powered plants, which uses coal (a nonrenewable resource).

This helps students understand the difference between resources that can be replenished and those that cannot.