How are resources defined and classified?

Question 1

resource definiton

Answer 1

any aspect of the environment that can be used to meet human needs

Question 2

source (definition, example and usefulness as classification)

Answer 2

defined where the resource is from e.g. marine, river, farmland
-difficult to allocate all resources to a broad category

Question 3

use (definition, example and usefulness as classification)

Answer 3

defined as how we make the most of the resource/how useful it is e.g. food, energy, industry
-convenient shorthand but many resources have more than one use e.g. peat is fuel but also used by gardeners

Question 4

extent (definition, example and usefulness as classification)

Answer 4

defined by the characteristics of their geological distribution e.g. point or diffuse e.g gold and forests
-not all resources fall into point and diffuse categories e.g crude oil

Question 5

renewability

Answer 5

regenerate on human time scale throughout ecological cycles e.g. water. semi-renewable=forests. non-renewable=coal
-recycling can prolong availability of metals e.g. copper