Using the Earth's Resources
Recap Using the Earth's Resources for GCSE Chemistry with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style questions with worked answers for AQA, Edexcel and OCR. Distinguish finite resources from renewable ones, and understand how chemistry helps make resource use more sustainable.
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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.
Topic overview
Humans use the Earth's resources to provide warmth, shelter, food and transport. These resources come from the Earth, the oceans and the atmosphere.
Natural resources, supplemented by agriculture, provide food, timber, clothing and fuels. Chemistry plays an important role by improving agricultural processes to increase yield, and by developing synthetic products as alternatives to natural ones where natural supplies are limited.
Resources are either finite or renewable. Finite resources such as crude oil, metal ores and coal are being used up faster than they can be replaced. Renewable resources such as timber can be replaced at the same rate as they are used, provided they are managed sustainably.
Revision notes
Where resources come from
The Earth, the oceans and the atmosphere provide the resources humans need.
Natural resources, supplemented by agriculture, provide food, timber, clothing and fuels. Chemistry improves agricultural yields and develops synthetic alternatives.
Finite and renewable
Finite resources are being used up faster than they can be replaced — crude oil, metal ores, coal and natural gas.
Renewable resources can be replaced at the same rate as they are used, such as timber from managed forests. Water is renewable but supplies can still be limited locally.
Sustainable development
Sustainable development meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Chemists play an important role by developing processes that use fewer resources, produce less waste, and find alternatives to finite materials.
Key points
- Resources come from the Earth, oceans and atmosphere.
- Agriculture supplements natural resources.
- Finite resources are used faster than they are replaced.
- Crude oil and metal ores are finite.
- Renewable resources can be replaced as fast as used.
- Sustainable development protects future generations.
Worked examples
Example 1
Explain the difference between a finite and a renewable resource. [2 marks]
Model answer
A finite resource is being used up faster than it can be replaced, such as crude oil (1 mark). A renewable resource can be replaced at the same rate as it is used, such as timber from managed forests (1 mark).
Example 2
Define sustainable development. [2 marks]
Model answer
Sustainable development meets the needs of current generations (1 mark) without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (1 mark).
Example 3
Give two ways chemistry contributes to the supply of resources. [2 marks]
Model answer
By improving agricultural processes to increase crop yields (1 mark). By developing synthetic products as alternatives where natural supplies are limited (1 mark).
Common mistakes
Calling all natural resources renewable.
Crude oil and metal ores are natural but finite.
Saying renewable means unlimited.
It means replaceable at the rate used, which still requires management.
Giving an incomplete sustainability definition.
Both current needs and future generations must be mentioned.
Forgetting chemistry's role.
Improving yields and developing synthetic alternatives are both examinable.
Exam tips
- Define finite and renewable with an example of each.
- Give the full two-part definition of sustainable development.
- Mention both agricultural improvement and synthetic alternatives.
- Note that renewable still requires sustainable management.
Key terms
- Finite resource
- A resource used faster than it can be replaced.
- Renewable resource
- A resource replaced at the same rate as it is used.
- Sustainable development
- Meeting present needs without harming future generations.
- Synthetic
- Made artificially as an alternative to a natural product.
Related topics
Written and reviewed against the current AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. Spotted an error? Let us know.