Facts About Natural Resources For Kids To Learn About Their Importance

Aashita Dhingra
Nov 03, 2023 By Aashita Dhingra
Originally Published on Mar 15, 2022
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Natural resources facts are fascinating to learn about.

Natural resources are important because they help us live, work, and play.

Everything on this planet comes from some sort of natural resource. Kids need to learn about these things, so they can understand the importance of preserving our environment.

There is a range of fuel and nonfuel elements in the Earth's crust. Coal and oil are examples of fuel minerals. Metals, mineral products (lime, phosphate rock, gypsum), and building minerals are examples of nonfuel minerals (sand, gravel, rock).

One of the most important things that natural resources do is produce energy. This energy can be used to power our homes, cars, and factories.

It's also used to generate electricity. Natural gas and petroleum are among the accessible resources. The shoreline region also has fisheries such as food, mangroves, and coral species.

Afghanistan's primary resources include iron, copper, lithium, rare earth elements, cobalt, bauxite, mercury, uranium, and chromium. Mexico is a world leader in the production of silver, oil, gold, zinc, copper, lead, natural gas, and lumber.

Japan is a country rich in natural resources of all kinds. Petroleum, oil, gas, water, and lumber are just a few examples. China is the world's greatest fuel producer and possesses the world's fifth-largest oil reserves.

Classification Of Natural Resources

There are many different types of natural resources, and they can be classified in a few ways. One approach to categorize them is based on their physical condition. There are three categories: solid, liquid, and gas.

Some common examples of solid natural resources include rocks, trees, and metals. Liquid natural resources include fresh water and oil. Finally, the most common gaseous resource is air!

The second way to classify natural resources is through their origin. There are two types: renewable and non-renewable.

Renewable: These resources are found in nature and can be replenished over time. Examples of renewable resources include water, wood, soil, wind energy, plants, or crops.

Renewable resources are important because they help us to live sustainably. For example, wood can be used as renewable energy resources, furniture, or any form of building material. If we didn't have renewable resources like this, our planet would quickly run out of supplies.

Non-renewable: These resources come from fossils such as oil and coal, which cannot be replaced once they have been used up. They must instead take millions of years to form again.

Examples of non-renewable resources include fossil fuels like coal, oil, natural gas; minerals such as iron ore or copper; and metals including aluminum, aluminum tin-silver, gold, lead, nickel, cobalt, manganese, chromium, titanium, platinum, palladium, zinc, tungsten, vanadium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Non-renewable resources are often called 'finite' because there is a limited amount of them on Earth. They're a limited resource that can't be replenished once used up.

It is important to note that many natural resources can become renewable if given enough time, such as trees or land used for farming (which may take decades before becoming fertile again). However, some non-renewable resources will never come back, like oil which has been extracted from underground deposits.

Non-renewable resources are used to create things like plastics, synthetic fabrics, and fertilizers. Non-renewable natural resources run out after a lengthy period of use, and it might take a while for them to recover.

Natural gas is a good illustration of this. Coal is just another source of non-natural resources. Numerous natural resources are restricted, which means they cannot be regenerated again, just like coal.

Because the majority of such non-renewable natural resources cannot be recycled, it is critical to conserve them. A variety of natural resources are in high demand, but their supply is restricted.

Extraction Of Natural Resources

Extraction of natural resources is the process by which we get raw materials out of the ground. These include things like coal, oil, gas, and minerals.

Railroads make it easier to transport products and resources. We use these materials to create things like cars, phones, and houses. We must extract these resources in a way that doesn't damage the environment and that we recycle them when we're done using them.

Natural resources are those that can be naturally found in nature. They include plants, animals, water, air, and everything else around us!

These things provide humans with many benefits such as food, shelter from the weather, or even just enjoyment when we look at the beautiful scenery. The process of extracting these resources is called extraction (or mining). Natural resources can be extracted in a variety of methods, and it can be a very dangerous process.

This is a non-renewable source of energy and the most widely utilized fossil fuel. Between 2025 and 2048, maximum coal extraction is expected.

One way to extract natural resources is by digging them out of the ground. This is done by humans or machines called excavators. Coal, oil, and gas are some examples of resources that can be extracted this way.

Another common way to extract natural resources is through drilling. People use drills to get oil from deep underground reservoirs.

Extraction of resources means the removal of resources from the environment for human use, such as fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal), mineral deposits, biomass (through deforestation, fishing, and hunting), and water. The following are the most common ways for extracting minerals from the ground: mining that takes place underground.

Open-pit mining is a type of surface mining. Placer mining is a term used to describe the process of extracting.

We also have unlimited access to other things like fresh air because there's only so much oxygen in the atmosphere.

Depletion Of Natural Resources

Once a natural resource has been extracted, it is removed from the planet and can never be replaced. This means that we have to be careful not to use up all of our resources! When people extract natural resources without thinking about the future, it's called depletion.

Depletion can happen when there isn't enough a resource to meet everyone's needs. This is one of the reasons why there are so many oil battles nowadays, some countries want more than others because they need it for their economy!

Although water is omnipresent and our globe is 70% water, just 2.5 % of that 70% is fresh water. The balance is saltwater, which is useless to people. The majority of the modest amount of fresh water is in the form of snow or persistent snow cover.

Global transportation will indeed be greatly hampered if oil is not available. According to the 2010 BP Statistical Review of World Energy, there are 188.8 million tons of oil left in known oil reserves.

Overpopulation: The demand for Earth's resources continues to rise as the world's population grows to 7 billion people.

Waste and overconsumption: This occurs when resources are used excessively and unnecessarily.

Destruction of ecosystems through deforestation, resulting in biodiversity loss.

Industrial and technological advancements, erosion, pollution, and resource contamination are the common causes of the depletion of resources.

Protection Of Natural Resources

Once natural resources have been extracted, it's important to protect them. This means making sure that they aren't damaged or used up faster than they can be replaced. It also entails environmental stewardship so that resources can continue to be available for future generations.

One way to protect natural resources is by using them wisely. You can reduce the earth's water consumption by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, for example. Another way to protect natural resources is through conservation efforts like recycling and composting organic waste such as food scraps or yard trimmings instead of throwing them away in landfills.

We must conserve these natural resources because they are diminishing at an alarming rate. Besides that, it has a negative impact on the environment, which harms living creatures indirectly.

We can, however, protect these natural resources if we follow a few simple guidelines in our daily lives. Use solar or wind energy as a renewable energy source. To reduce soil erosion, more trees must be planted.

Oil should be transported via pipes. Even before they are discharged into aquatic bodies, treat industrial effluent and waste.

Install a rainwater collection system in your house. In the house, utilize biogas. Instead of petroleum-based fuels, biofuels should be employed.

Management Of Natural Resources

Natural resource management refers to a strategy for dealing with both renewable and non-renewable resources. Global warming, overcrowding, industrial growth, and other factors have an impact on natural resources such as land, soil, water, plants, and animals.

Once natural resources have been extracted, it's important to manage them properly. This means making sure that we use them in a way that doesn't damage the surroundings or hurt the planet.

For example, when we drill for oil, we need to make sure that we don't spill any of it into the ocean. When we extract fuel, we need to make sure that the mines are safe and that the workers are protected.

It's also important to recycle natural resources. This means using them over and over again instead of just throwing them away. For example, we can recycle plastic bottles into new plastic bottles.

We can also recycle aluminum cans into new aluminum cans. Recycling is an excellent approach to maintain our environment clean and healthy.

The following are some of the reasons why natural resource management plays a critical role in the environment:

To keep the biosphere in a healthy state.

To avert additional environmental devastation.

To prevent the overuse of natural resources.

The three R's of garbage management are as follows: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Reduce refers to making informed goods purchases. Reuse refers to the practice of repurposing things that are both cost-effective and environmentally benign. Recycling refers to repurposing material and by-products to be more innovative.

The quantity of natural resources we consume daily varies depending on what type of resources we are talking about. For example, we use a lot more water than fuel. Here are some estimates of how much natural resources are used each day:

Water: 400 trillion gallons per day

Air: 17 billion cu m per day

Land: 20 million ha per year

Coal: 40 billion tons per year

Oil & Gas: 30 billion barrels per day

FAQs

What are the top 3 natural resources?

Water, air, and soil are three of the most crucial natural resources. All three of these things are necessary for humans to survive.

How much natural resources are used daily?

In the United States, the average person utilizes 400 lb (181 kg) of resources per day. That is more than any other country in the world!

What are natural resources?

Natural resources are Earth-derived materials that are utilized to sustain life and fulfill human requirements. A natural resource might be any natural material that people utilize.

Why is sustainable use of natural resources important?

Sustainable natural resource management is vital because it allows people to use resources sensibly without wasting them and without jeopardizing future generations' needs.

What natural resources does Afghanistan have?

Iron, copper, lithium, rare earth elements, cobalt, bauxite, mercury, uranium, and chromium, are the major resources available in Afghanistan.

What are Mexico's natural resources?

Mexico is a major producer of oil, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, and timber in the globe.

How to conserve natural resources?

Conservation refers to the preservation of natural resources. Reduce, reuse, and recycle are the three 'Rs' for conserving natural resources.

What are renewable natural resources?

A renewable resource is just one that may be utilized again and does not deplete since it is replenished organically.

How did railroad expansion make natural resources more available to us?

Railroads make it simpler to transfer resources and goods. Railways were given land by the US government to help them grow.

What natural resources are available on the coast?

Resources include natural gas, and petroleum is available. Also, fisheries such as food, mangroves, and coral species are found on the coast region.

What are Japan's natural resources?

Japan seems to be a country rich in natural resources of all kinds. Some of these include petroleum, oil, gas, water, and timber.

What are China's natural resources?

Minerals such as silver, gold, and copper are abundant throughout the country. China is the world's largest producer of fuel, and it has the fifth-largest oil reserves in the world.

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Written by Aashita Dhingra

Bachelors in Business Administration

Aashita Dhingra picture

Aashita DhingraBachelors in Business Administration

Based in Lucknow, India, Aashita is a skilled content creator with experience crafting study guides for high school-aged kids. Her education includes a degree in Business Administration from St. Mary's Convent Inter College, which she leverages to bring a unique perspective to her work. Aashita's passion for writing and education is evident in her ability to craft engaging content.

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