Natural resources are classified as renewable and nonrenewable. What is the difference between the two?

whether or not the resource exists in nature
whether or not the resource can be replaced
whether or not the resource dwindles in supply
whether or not the resource is useful to humans

1 answer

Renewable resources are those that can be replenished or replaced naturally in a relatively short period of time, such as sunlight, wind, and timber. Nonrenewable resources, on the other hand, are finite in supply and cannot be easily replaced once they are depleted, such as fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Nonrenewable resources are also typically formed over millions of years and will eventually run out if consumed at current rates.