M+-+resources+and+resource+use

A resource is something that a person can use - i.e. trees for wood for building Natural Resources - important in the age of the caveperson  If the resources above are used in a sustainable way they can all be considered to be renewable.
 * Light, heat, water, wind
 * Trees and smaller plants
 * Soil, rocks, minerals and metals

Renewable - a resource which is naturally replaced after use so that it never runs out Non-renewable means it will run out

Over time resource use has changed. The invention of agriculture and irrigation to building large settlements. Generally as the number of people increased so did the use of resources. The 'Industrial Revolution' led to a massive increase in the use of resources. This was powered by the use of coal. The burning of coal led to changes in transport such as boats and trains. The Industrial Revolution spread to different countries like Germany and USA. It has led to our consumer society. This means that we consume a lot of resources to allow us to continue with our everyday lives. Fossil Fuels The main fossil fuels are coal, oil and gas

What makes them fossil fuels?  Why are they fuels? They are fuels because when they are burnt, they give off heat which can be used directly as a source of power.
 * They ave been formed from the decomposition or remains of plants and animals
 * Their formation began many million years ago
 * Massive numbers of plants and animals were needed to form just small amounts of fuel

Why are they described as non-renewable? It takes a very long time to form even small deposits of fuel. It takes millions of years to replace the fuels that we have already used.

Why are they described as 'finite'? There is only a limited amount of each fossil fuel and eventually they will run out.

For how long will the fossil fuels last? It is thought Oil will run out in 35 years, Coal will run out in 220 years and Natural Gas will run out in 60 years

Resource Use Resource use has increased as population growth increased. More people means that more resources need to be used in order to maintain the same quality of life. Resources are used to improve a person’s quality of life. Most resources are used in MEDCs. People in MEDCs have more electrical goods which leads to more resource use. LEDCs generally have lower resource uses but as they develop the demand on resources will increase. Generally more people and a higher level of economic development has led to increased resource use. Important to note: there is no direct relationship between total energy consumption and total population in a country. The higher the level of economic activity the more resources that will be used. Another important factor is climate. When it is cold more resources are used to keep people warm and when it is hot more resources are used to keep people cool.