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Earth's Natural Resources
Unit 4
World GeographyWorld Geography
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What Are Natural Resources?natural resource- any useful material found in the
environment raw material- a resource or material that is still in its natural
state, before being processed or manufactured into a useful product
recyclable resource- a resource that cycles through natural processes in the environment (water, nitrogen, carbon)
renewable resource- a natural resource that the environment continues to supply or replace as it is used (trees, water)
nonrenewable resource- a resource that cannot be replaced once it is used; they include fossil fuels such as coal and oil, and minerals such as iron, copper, and gold
fossil fuel- any one of several nonrenewable resources created from the remains of plants and animals
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A raw material is a resource that must be altered or changed before it can be used. Most resources must be changed before people use them.Example: Trees are the raw materials for
paper and wood.
A natural resource is anything from the Earth that helps meet people’s needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Examples: water, trees, animals
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Three Kinds of ResourcesThree Kinds of ResourcesRecyclable Renewable Nonrenewable
Cycle naturally through the environment because of the way the Earth works
The Earth will always have the same amount of them.
Examples: water, nitrogen, carbon
Includes trees and other living things: They can be destroyed or wiped out.
However, these resources can be replaced, if careful, to maintain a steady supply.
Examples: trees, chickens, corn
When these are used up, they cannot be replaced.
Most nonliving things are nonrenewable.
Examples: minerals, coal, natural gas, petroleum (oil), metals
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Ancient Energy: Fossil FuelAncient Energy: Fossil Fuel
Turning lights on, keeping your house heated or air conditioned, and running your car all require fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas, and petroleum.
Fossil fuels were created over millions of years from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals.
Fossil fuels are no longer being created. As a result, they are nonrenewable resources.
If people continue using coal, natural gas, and petroleum at today’s rate, the Earth will run out of fossil fuels in 100 to 200 years.
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A Special Resource: EnergyA Special Resource: EnergyEveryone in the world needs energy, but
energy resources are not evenly spread around the world.
If a country does not have enough energy resources of its own, it must buy them from other countries.
The biggest users of energy are industrial nations such as the United States and the countries of Western Europe.
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In the 1970s, the United States used so much energy that it had to begin buying oil from OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries).
As a result, the United States had to pay whatever the producing countries asked.
When OPEC limited supplies and raised prices, the United States experienced oil shortages.
Americans began to see that they needed to find more sources of energy.
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Top Petroleum Consumers and Producers
Producers
United States 12.1%
Saudi Arabia 11.5%
Russia 8.5%
Iran 4.9%
Mexico 4.5%
China 4.3%
Norway 4.2%
Venezuela 4.1%
United Kingdom 4.0%
Canada 3.5%
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Stages of Resource DevelopmentStages of Resource Development
First Level Second Level Third LevelPeople use land and resources directly to make products.
People are beginning to develop their land.
Examples: hunting, fishing, mining, herding, farming
People turn raw materials into things they use. This process is called manufacturing.
Example: A farmer takes his corn to a mill. The miller grinds corn into corn meal, and the miller sells the corn meal for more processing.
Products are distributed to people who want them.
People are producing a service.
Examples: Service industries include transportation systems and communications products such as computers and satellites.
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Economic Patterns: Developed and Economic Patterns: Developed and Developing CountriesDeveloping Countries
Two hundred years ago, people produced goods in their homes or small shops. Then, came a great change: People invented machines to make goods and found new sources of power to run the machines. Today, most manufacturing takes place in factories.
This change in the way people made goods was called the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution created a new pattern of economic activity. It separated countries into two groups
Developed Nations are those countries that have many industries
Developing Nations are those countries that have few industries.
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Industrial SocietiesIndustrial Societies
Developed Nations: A Fact Sheet
About one quarter of the world’s population lives in developed nations.
They use goods made in factories. Their industries consume a lot of raw materials and
use power-driven machinery. Factories produce goods for the country’s citizens and
for sale to other countries.Most people live in towns and cities and work in
business and industry.
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Industrial SocietiesIndustrial Societies
Developed Nations: A Fact Sheet
Most people have enough food and water and can get a good education and adequate health care.
They rely on commercial farming, which raises tremendous amounts of food.
These farms are run by companies and use modern technology.
Each part of the economy relies on the other.Problems: unemployment, pollution, shortages of
natural resources
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Developing NationsDeveloping NationsEvery culture is not like the United States. Most of the
people of the world (about 75%) live in developing countries.
They do not have great wealth.Many work at subsistence farming—raising just enough
food for their families or communities, not for profit. These farms require a lot of labor and do not yield a lot
of crops.The only commercial farms are plantations, which
produce a single crop for export. They are usually owned by only a few people.Certain groups herd animals. In desert regions, nomads travel from place to place to
find food and water for their animals. In some developing nations, people live as hunter-
gatherers.
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Challenges in Developing NationsChallenges in Developing Nations
What challenges do they face?What challenges do they face?Diseasefood shortagesunsafe waterpoor educationpoor health servicesjob scarcity in the citiesand frequently changing governments
are just a few of the challenges developing nations face.
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Why do they face so many challenges?
One reason is rapid population growth, which strains resources.
In the late 1990s, for example, the supply of fresh water became a problem.
There are many other reasons as well.
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Is anything being done to improve Is anything being done to improve conditions?conditions?
Yes. Some developing nations are beginning to use their natural resources, or sell them to other countries.
Developed countries sometimes help in the form of foreign aid, or gifts and loans from one government to another.
Businesses in developed countries may also help by building factories in developing nations.
These factories provide jobs and money.
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The World: Economic Activity
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Danger to Land, Water, and AirDanger to Land, Water, and Air
An ecosystem is a place where living elements depend on one another—and on nonliving elements—for their survival. Examples of ecosystems: the Sahara Desert, the Amazon
River valley, the Great Plains
If one part of an ecosystem changes, other parts are also affected. Some changes can destroy an ecosystem. Example: Deforestation in South America is an example.
Many rain forests are being destroyed. As a result, many plant and animal species will become extinct.
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Protecting Endangered SpeciesProtecting Endangered Species
Usually, more than one thing threatens a species.
Causes of Extinction:Causes of Extinction:People may build houses or
businesses on land that is the habitat of particular animals or plants.
The air, soil, or water may become too polluted.
A species may be hunted until it disappears.
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Protecting Endangered SpeciesProtecting Endangered Species
Methods of Prevention:Methods of Prevention:Laws, such as the Endangered Species
Act of 1973 gave the government power to protect species that might become extinct.
Some people disagree with such laws. They believe that humans should be
able to use natural resources as they need them.
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Other Forms of DamageOther Forms of Damage
Acid RainAcid Rain Acid rain carries dangerous chemicals.
It is formed when fossil fuels used by industries are released into the air and combine with water vapor in the air. What is being done? Canada and the United
States have laws to reduce acid rain. Factories and cars are installing devices to clean up the fumes they release.
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PollutionPollution Waste dumped into rivers, lakes, and
oceans destroys or harms living things in the water and also endangers people. Fertilizers and pesticides from farms also pollute water.
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The Ozone LayerThe Ozone Layer The ozone layer, a layer of gas in the
upper part of our atmosphere, blocks most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) destroy the ozone layer. What is being done? The Montreal Protocol
of 1987 led nations to limit their use of ozone-destroying chemicals, including CFCs.
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Global WarmingGlobal Warming
What is global warming?Global warming is a slow increase in
Earth’s temperature.
What causes it?It may be caused by gases like carbon
dioxide that are released into the air. They are called greenhouse gases.
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Where do these gases come from?
Industrial countries produce 75 percent of these gases.
They are released when fossil fuels (which produce most of the world’s electricity) burn.
Developing countries produce these gases when they burn forests to clear land and use wood for heating or cooking.
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How does global warming take place?
Normally, heat on Earth escapes back into space.
Some scientists theorize that greenhouse gases trap the heat and reflect it back to Earth, resulting in a rise in Earth’s average temperature.
This is called the greenhouse effectgreenhouse effect.
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The Challenge of EnergyThe Challenge of Energy
Because pollution is often tied to using fossil fuels, scientists are exploring other ways to get inexpensive energy.
Their research concentrates on nuclear power, water, wind, and the sun.
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The Challenge of EnergyThe Challenge of Energy
Individuals can protect the environment too.
For example: The United States produces more waste than any other nation in the world.
To change that, people now recycle old materials to make new products.
Today, most American cities have recycling programs.
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