Resources

Question 1

What are the primary sources of energy on Earth?

Answer 1

Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear energy, and renewable resources (solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal).

Question 2

What is hydraulic fracturing (fracking)?

Answer 2

Hydraulic fracturing is a technique used to extract oil and gas from shale formations by injecting high-pressure fluid to create fractures in the rock.

Question 3

How is coal formed?

Answer 3

Coal forms from the burial and compaction of plant material in swampy environments over millions of years.

Question 3

What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy resources?

Answer 3

Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over short timescales, while nonrenewable resources are finite and take millions of years to form.

Question 4

What is petroleum, and how does it form?

Answer 4

Petroleum is a liquid hydrocarbon formed from the remains of marine microorganisms buried under sediments, subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years.

Question 5

What are mineral resources?

Answer 5

Mineral resources are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a specific chemical composition and crystal structure, valuable for economic and industrial purposes.

Question 6

How are metallic ores typically formed?

Answer 6

Metallic ores can form through magmatic processes, hydrothermal processes, sedimentary processes, and metamorphic processes.

Question 6

What is an ore deposit?

Answer 6

An ore deposit is a concentration of minerals within the Earth’s crust that can be extracted and processed economically.

Question 7

What are rare earth elements, and why are they important?

Answer 7

Rare earth elements are a group of 17 elements used in various high-tech applications, including electronics, magnets, and renewable energy technologies.

Question 7

What is the environmental impact of mining?

Answer 7

Mining can cause habitat destruction, soil and water contamination, air pollution, and landscape alteration.

Question 8

What is groundwater?

Answer 8

Groundwater is water that fills the pores and fractures in underground soil and rock layers.

Question 9

What is an aquifer?

Answer 9

An aquifer is a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater.

Question 10

What is the water table?

Answer 10

The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation where groundwater is found.

Question 11

What is porosity?

Answer 11

Porosity is the percentage of a rock or sediment’s volume that is made up of pore spaces.

Question 12

What is permeability?

Answer 12

Permeability is the ability of a rock or sediment to transmit water through its pores and fractures.

Question 13

How do sediments become sedimentary rock?

Answer 13

Sediments become sedimentary rock through the processes of compaction and cementation, known as lithification.

Question 13

What is soil?

Answer 13

Soil is a mixture of mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air that forms on the Earth’s surface and supports plant life.

Question 13

What are sediments?

Answer 13

Sediments are loose fragments of rocks, minerals, and organic material that are transported and deposited by wind, water, or ice.

Question 14

What is the difference between chemical and physical weathering?

Answer 14

Chemical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks through chemical reactions, while physical weathering involves the mechanical breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces.

Question 15

What are the main soil horizons?

Answer 15

The main soil horizons are O (organic matter), A (topsoil), E (eluviation), B (subsoil), and C (parent material).