Which of the following substances is not a conservable natural resource?

Analyze the question: We are asked which substance is not a conservable natural resource. Conservation means managing and protecting resources so they last, or so they are not wasted, polluted, or degraded.

Explain the concept: Natural resources are often grouped as:

• Renewable: water, soil (with care), forests, wildlife
• Non-renewable: minerals, fossil fuels

Conservation applies to both groups. We conserve minerals by recycling and avoiding wasteful mining, soil by crop rotation and cover cropping to prevent erosion, and water by avoiding wastage and pollution.

Work through the options:

• A. Mineral: Finite, so it must be conserved through recycling and careful mining. It is conservable.
• B. Air: Air is the odd one out. It is abundant and universally available, and it cannot be stored, rationed, managed, or "conserved" in the way the others can. We can control pollution of air, but we cannot conserve the air itself. It is therefore usually treated as the non-conservable resource in this type of question.
• C. Soil: Conserved by preventing erosion, using manure, and practicing terracing and crop rotation. It is conservable.
• D. Water: Conserved through dams, avoiding wastage, and preventing pollution. It is conservable.

Note on the reasoning: Air pollution control is a real environmental concern, so this question is a bit loose in its wording. But among the four options, air is the only one that cannot be directly managed, stored, or rationed.

Answer: B. Air

Exam tip: In WASSCE conservation questions, resources you can physically manage, such as soil, water, forests, wildlife, and minerals, are "conservable." Air is typically given as the exception because it is freely and universally available.