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Chapter 4
World Resources
People depend upon resources.
Value of resources varies on need.
Geographers study the way people use
resources, where resources are located, how
resources are distributed, and how the use of
resources affects the earth.
Natural Resources
• 2 types
– Renewable Resources
– Nonrenewable Resources
Renewable Resources
• Constantly being regenerated
– Soil (always being created)
– Water
*** Human activities can interfere with the process
of renewal.***
Nonrenewable Resources
• Minerals formed in the earth’s crust over
millions of years.
• Earth has only a limited supply of them, it
would take millions of years to replace.
• Important minerals
– Iron, Copper, aluminum, uranium and gold.
– Recycling and decrease usage helps increase
supply.
• Most important -> Fossil Fuels.
– Coal, oil, natural gas which form from remains of
ancient plants and animals.
Energy Sources
• Fossil Fuels
• Nuclear Energy
• Others
*** Countries use energy to light cities, power
cars and planes, run computers and other
machines.
Main energy is non renewable fossil fuels.
Depending on Fossil Fuels
• Few of these nations have sufficient supply to
meet their needs. (So they import it)
• Oil and Natural Gas reserves are unevenly spread
around the world.
• More than half of the earth’s oil supply in
Southwest Asia (100 year supply)
• Natural Gas located in Northern Eurasia.
• Coal deposits are larger and more widely
distributed than oil reserves (US, China, Russia
have rich deposits, 200 year supply).
Nuclear Energy
• Produced by fission, splitting of uranium
atoms in a nuclear reactor to release their
stored energy.
• Dangers of leaks, explosions and disposal of
radioactive wastes (toxic for thousands of
years).
• Process of refining uranium contributes to
global warming.
Other Energy Sources
• Water power ( falling water moves machinery)
• Ocean tides, wind.
• Geothermal energy (Energy from earth’s
internal heat)
• Solar Energy