Resources

Natural resources are materials found in nature that people use for survival, comfort, and building things. These include water, sunlight, air, soil,

Natural resources are divided into two main types: renewable and nonrenewable. Renewable resources can naturally replenish over time, like sunlight, w

Renewable resources naturally restore themselves, such as sunlight, wind, and trees, so we can use them again and again. Nonrenewable resources, like

An ore is a rock that contains enough valuable minerals to be mined for profit. Not all rocks with minerals are ores, only those that are rich enough

Mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals or metals from the Earth. Before any digging starts, studies are done to see if the ore is profi

Underground mining is used to extract valuable ores found deep beneath Earth’s surface. Unlike surface mining, miners cannot dig straight down from th

Ore extraction methods such as heap leaching, flotation, and smelting are used to separate valuable metals from rock, but they also lead to several en

Surface mining is one way to get useful materials like metals and minerals from the Earth. But this process can have big effects on the environment. T

Hazardous waste is any material that can harm people, animals, or the environment when it's not handled safely. These wastes come from factories, farm

Hazardous waste is any material that can harm humans, animals, or the environment when it’s not handled properly. This type of waste includes things l

Cleaning up hazardous waste is a serious environmental challenge. These harmful materials come from factories, farms, labs, and even homes. They pollu

Natural resources like fossil fuels, metals, and groundwater are not spread evenly across the Earth. This is because of geoscience processes such as v

Natural resources like water, air, soil, forests, and minerals are vital for our survival. These resources are not unlimited—they are finite, meaning

The 3Rs, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, are essential strategies we can use to protect natural resources and reduce the harmful effects of human activity

Energy is involved in almost everything that happens around us—it makes things move, powers machines, lights up cities, and helps us cook and stay war

Humans use Earth's resources for energy, materials, and food. But using too much or using them the wrong way can harm the environment. Scientists and

Every time you ride a bike, swing a baseball bat, or even clap your hands, you are using energy. In physical science, energy is the ability to do work

Fossil fuels, which power cars, lights, and factories, are a major source of energy. They formed millions of years ago from the remains of ancient pla

Coal is a black or brownish rock that burns to produce heat and is used to make electricity. It’s a fossil fuel formed from ancient swamp plants. Mill

Geologists search for oil by studying folded rock formations called anticlines. Oil gets trapped in these rock layers and is brought to the surface us

Natural gas is often released during oil drilling, but sometimes it's burned off in a wasteful process called flaring. Before it’s used, the gas must

As fossil fuel resources like oil and gas become harder to find, people are looking for new sources of energy. Oil shale and tar sands are two alterna

Geothermal energy is heat from deep inside Earth that we can use to make electricity or warm buildings. This heat mostly comes from hot rocks and magm

Algae are simple, plant-like organisms that play an important role in producing biofuels. They use photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carb