Renewable and Non-renewable Resources – JSS3 Intermediate Science Lesson Note (First Term)

What are renewable resources?

Renewable resources are resources that nature replaces by itself within a short time.

• Supply: They will not run out if we do not destroy the environment.
• Pollution: They usually cause little or no pollution.
• Cost: They can be expensive to set up at the start.

What are examples of renewable resources?

• Solar energy: the sun shines every day, and solar panels change its light into electricity.
• Wind energy: moving air turns the blades of wind turbines to generate power.
• Hydro (water) energy: flowing water from rivers and dams turns turbines to make electricity, as at Kainji and Shiroro dams.
• Biomass: energy from living things, such as firewood and dried animal waste.
• Forests, fish and fresh water: they replace themselves if we do not use them faster than they regrow.

• Note on biomass: wood is renewable only if new trees are planted to replace those cut down.
• Note on smoke: burning wood and animal waste gives off smoke, so biomass is not completely clean.

What are non-renewable resources?

Non-renewable resources are resources that take millions of years to form and cannot be replaced in our lifetime.

• Formation: they form slowly deep inside the earth.
• Supply: once used up, they are gone for a very long time.
• Pollution: burning them usually gives smoke and harmful gases.

What are examples of non-renewable resources?

• Fossil fuels: crude oil (petroleum), coal and natural gas, formed from the remains of dead plants and animals over millions of years.
• Minerals and metals: gold, iron, tin and aluminium, which we dig out of the ground by mining.
• Nuclear fuel: uranium from ore in the earth is used to make very powerful energy.

What are fossil fuels used for?

• Crude oil: refined into petrol, diesel and kerosene for cars, generators and lamps.
• Coal: burnt for heat and to make electricity.
• Natural gas: used as cooking gas and to make electricity.

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?

Renewable resources replace themselves quickly, while non-renewable resources take millions of years to form.

What is sustainable use?

Sustainable use means using what we need today without spoiling things for people born tomorrow.

• Problem: if we use up all the crude oil and cut down all the forests, the next generation will suffer.
• Answer: sustainable use finds a balance between our needs now and the needs of the future.

How can we use resources sustainably?

1. Shift to green energy: use solar lamps and panels instead of petrol generators that give out smoke.
2. Save energy: switch off bulbs when you leave a room and use energy-saving appliances.
3. Recycle: melt old scrap metal to make new things, which saves minerals still in the ground.
4. Use public transport: ten people in one bus use much less fuel than ten separate cars.
5. Replant trees: plant new trees when others are cut down, so forests keep growing back.

Why do renewable and non-renewable resources matter to Nigeria?

Nigeria has large non-renewable resources, such as crude oil and coal, and plenty of sun and water.

• Oil and coal: they have brought money to the country.
• Sun and rivers: solar and hydro power can give steady electricity.
• Less worry: we would depend less on oil running out or on rising petrol prices.

Evaluation

1. Define a renewable resource and a non-renewable resource.
2. Name three examples of each type.
3. Explain why the sun is renewable but petrol is not.
4. What does it mean to use a resource sustainably?
5. Name three things in your home that use non-renewable energy.

Assignment

Draw a table with two columns, headed “Renewable” and “Non-renewable”. List five resources found in your area under the correct headings. Then write three ways your family can use energy sustainably.