Natural Resources
Elementary School
Definition
Materials and energy from nature that people use, such as water, air, soil, minerals, forests, and fossil fuels. Some are renewable while others are limited, so their use raises questions of conservation.
Worked examples
Water from rivers powers turbines to generate electricity, irrigates crops, and provides drinking water for communities.
Water is a renewable natural resource used for energy, agriculture, and human needs.
Coal extracted from underground mines is burned in power plants to produce electricity, but deposits take millions of years to form.
Coal is a nonrenewable natural resource — once used, it cannot be replaced on human timescales.
Common mistakes
- All natural resources are unlimited because nature keeps making them. → Many natural resources like fossil fuels and minerals are nonrenewable and can run out. Renewable resources like sunlight replenish quickly; nonrenewable ones like oil form over millions of years and are limited.
- Renewable natural resources never need conservation because they replace themselves. → Even renewable resources can be depleted if overused faster than they regenerate. Overfishing depletes fish populations; clear-cutting forests faster than regrowth destroys habitats despite trees being renewable.
Where you'll use it next
You'll apply natural resources when studying ecosystems and energy flow, human impact on the environment, sustainability and conservation strategies, and alternative energy sources in environmental science and Earth science courses.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026