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Exhaustible and Inexhaustible Natural Resources

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In order to understand inexhaustible resources and exhaustible resources, we must know what is a resource? So,  resources are anything that has some value and utility to satisfy our requirements. Resources are three types Natural, Human-made resources and human resources. Natural resources are the resource that we get from nature like the sun, water, trees, petroleum etc. 

Natural resources are further divided into inexhaustible and exhaustible resources. In this article, we will focus only on the inexhaustible and exhaustible resources. Let’s begin to understand each of them.

What are Exhaustible Resources?

The term exhaust means to use something up completely or to finish something. In the same way, resources that get exhausted or replenish after few hundred years are called exhaustible resources.  

Basically exhaustible resources or non-renewable resources are very limited and easily get finished. For example, fossil fuels, are very limited in number and they will get replenished after few years. Some would say it is natural thus it will grow up again, but no fossil fuels made in 1000 years and we cannot wait for 1000 years. In recent studies, it has been found out the use of most of the exhaustible resources are not environmentally friendly as they are improperly and inefficiently used. Also, exhaustible resources are comparatively expensive than inexhaustible resources.

e.g. Fossil fuels (Fuels that are made from the decomposition of plants and animals.) like Coal, Petroleum and Natural gas, minerals like Gold, Silver, etc.

What are Inexhaustible Resources?

The resources that will not get replenish or never get exhausts are called inexhaustible resources. Unlike exhaustible resources they are present in abundant quantity thus they will never get finished no matter how much you used inexhaustible resources, 

For example, solar light from Sun rays, take it as much as you can but it will never get exhausted. Also, inexhaustible resources are called renewable resources meaning they can be easily recovered. Unlike inexhaustible resources, they are very less polluting or we can say they are very environmentally friendly than exhaustible resources. Also, they are very cost-effective if we compare inexhaustible resources to exhaustible resources.

e.g. Sunlight, biomass, atmosphere, waves, tides, etc.

Conservation of Natural Resources

We have read about inexhaustible and exhaustible resources, and now we know we cannot renew exhaustible resources. Thus, it is very important to save our natural resources.

  • Using public transport instead of private transport.
  • Switching off the engine when we are stuck in a traffic jam.
  • By following  4R’s in principle Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover
  • Switch off light- fans when they are not in use.
  • Aware the masses of the importance of exhaustible resources.

Difference between Exhaustible resources and Inexhaustible resources

So far we learn what is an exhaustible resource and what is an inexhaustible resource. Let’s summarise each of them. 

Exhaustible resource Inexhaustible resource
The resources that get exhausted or replenish after few hundred years are called exhaustible resources.  The resources that will not get replenish or never get exhausts are called inexhaustible resources.
It is also called non-renewable resources the  resources It is also called  renewable resources
They are present in very limited stock, meaning they can be used up They are in abundance meaning they can’t be used up
Exhaustible resources are not environment friendly as they are improperly and inefficiently used. Inexhaustible resources they are very less polluting 
They are very expensive. They are very cost-effective resources
Examples: Fossil fuel (Fuels that are made from the decomposition of plants and animals.) like Coal, Petroleum and Natural gas, minerals like Gold, Silver, etc. Examples; Sunlight, biomass, atmosphere, waves, tides, etc.

Sample Questions

Question 1: What do you mean by resources?

Answer:

Resources are anything that has some value and utility to satisfy our requirements. Resources are three types Natural, Human-made resources and human resources. Natural resources are the resource that we get from nature like the sun, water, trees, petroleum etc. 

Question 2: Define Natural Resource.

Answer:

Natural resources are the resource that we get from nature like the sun, water, trees, petroleum etc. Natural resources are further divided into inexhaustible and exhaustible resources.

Question 3: Write some examples of renewable resources.

Answer: 

Some examples of renewable resources are sunlight, biomass, atmosphere, wind, tides, etc.

Question 4: Write some examples of the inexhaustible resources.

Answer:  

Some examples of inexhaustible resources are Fossil fuels (Coal, Petroleum and Natural gas) and minerals (Gold, Silver,) etc.

Question 5: Classify the following resources as renewable or non-renewable resources: Solar energy, seawater, gold, petroleum, forest.

Answer: 

Renewable resource: Solar energy and seawater, Non-renewable resource: petroleum, forest, gold.

Question 6: Define fossil fuels and write some examples.

Answer: 

Fossil fuel (Fuels that are made from the decomposition of plants and animals. Examples of fossil fuels are Coal, Petroleum and Natural gas.

Question 7: “Coal is an exhaustible resource”, comment on the given statement.

Answer: 

We all know exhaustible resources are the resources that get exhausted or replenish after few hundred years. Coal is a fossil fuel and it takes 1000 years to replenish, also coal is very limited in stock. Thus one can say that coal is an exhaustible resource.


Last Updated : 22 Sep, 2021
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