Natural Resources Flashcards
What are Natural Resources?
A natural resource is a source or supply that occurs in nature without human action and can be used for the benefit of human society.
What are the categories of Natural resources?
Material resources of use of individuals and society
Flows of energy which can be harnessed for useful purposes
Attributes of the environment that contribute something of value
What are the classification of natural resources?
Basis of origin we distinguish between biotic which are made by living and organic resources and abiotic which are made by non-living and non-organic.
Stages of development
actual( surveyed and currently exploited), reserve (surveyed and future exploited), stock (surveyed but not currently accessible) and potential ( might be it but we dont know)
Renewability: Non-renewable is formed slowly( geological time scales) and not naturally( fossil fuels) and renewable rate of production is faster or equally consumed than the rate at which resource is consumed
Exhaustability
Inexhaustible means that are resources that are unaffected by human use, will not run out in foreseeable future
Exhaustive resource is finite and production and consumption rates similar.
What is the calculation for available time
available time is equal to quantity of reserve divided by production rate
What are factors in which could change the available time of resources?
Finding new reserve
Changes in consumer behaviour
Changes in economic conditions
New technologies
