Question

renewable vs. nonrenewable resource sorting activity

1. cut out the resource cards.
2. sort the cards into the corret category: renewable or nonrenewable.
3. after sorting, discuss your choices with a partner or group.

renewable resources
nonrenewable resources
sunlight
wind
water
biomass
coal
natural g
uranium
metals
optional challenge: can you think of a resource that could be renewable if used carefully?
make a list of ways to conserve nonrenewable resources.

Explanation:

To solve this sorting activity, we use the definitions of renewable and nonrenewable resources. Renewable resources are those that can be replenished naturally over time, while nonrenewable resources are finite and take millions of years to form.

• Renewable Resources: Sunlight (solar energy, replenished continuously), Wind (wind energy, naturally occurring and replenished), Water (hydropower, part of the water cycle), Biomass (organic matter from living or recently living organisms, can be regrown).
• Nonrenewable Resources: Coal (fossil fuel, finite), Natural Gas (fossil fuel, finite), Uranium (used in nuclear energy, finite supply), Metals (mined from the earth, finite deposits).

Answer:

Renewable Resources:

• Sunlight (Sun icon)
• Wind (Wind turbine icon)
• Water (Tree - related to water cycle? Wait, the icon is a tree? Wait, no, the "Water" card has a tree? Wait, looking at the image: the cards are Sunlight, Wind, Water (tree icon? Maybe a typo, but water is renewable), Biomass (leaf icon).
• Biomass (Leaf icon)

Nonrenewable Resources:

• Coal (Coal icon)
• Natural G (Natural Gas, flame icon)
• Uranium (Radioactive symbol icon)
• Metals (Metal icon)

(Note: The "Water" card’s icon is a tree, but water is a renewable resource as part of the hydrological cycle. The "Tree" - like icon for water might be a visual representation of the water cycle or ecosystems dependent on water, but the label is "Water", so it’s renewable.)