Here is a list of natural resources: I. Wildlife II. Forest III. Fossil fuel IV. Minerals Which of the natural resources are non-renewable?

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the natural resources that are non-renewable, meaning they cannot be replaced within a human lifetime once used up.

Concept:

• Renewable resources can regenerate or be replenished naturally, for example through reproduction or growth. Examples are wildlife, forests, water, and solar energy.
• Non-renewable resources are formed over millions of years and are not replaced at a useful rate. Examples are fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) and minerals (iron ore, tin, limestone, gold).

Solution:

• I. Wildlife: animals reproduce, so it is renewable (as long as it is conserved).
• II. Forest: trees can be replanted and regrow, so it is renewable.
• III. Fossil fuel: it takes millions of years to form, so it is non-renewable.
• IV. Minerals: they are fixed deposits in the earth's crust that cannot regenerate, so they are non-renewable.

The non-renewable resources are therefore III and IV only.

Exam tip: Ask yourself, "Can it reproduce or regrow?" If yes, it is renewable (living things like wildlife and forests). If it is a dead, buried material dug out of the ground (fossil fuels and minerals), it is non-renewable. A quick memory aid: "Living = Renewable, Dug up = Done for."