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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Why is pole-and-line tuna fishing (practised in the Maldives) considered more sustainable than large drift nets: it catches fish one by one with minimal bycatch, or it scrapes the seabed?
Why is pole-and-line tuna … · Renewable & non-renewable …
2. Is coal formed from ancient buried plants over millions of years a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is coal formed from ancien… · Renewable & non-renewable …
3. Is geothermal energy drawn from heat inside Earth’s crust a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Is geothermal energy drawn… · Renewable & non-renewable …
4. What device converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor cells: a photovoltaic solar panel or a diesel generator?
What device converts sunli… · Renewable & non-renewable …
5. Is natural gas (mainly methane) trapped in rock layers a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is natural gas (mainly met… · Renewable & non-renewable …
6. In the “3 Rs” of waste reduction (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which action prevents waste from being created in the first place: Reduce or Recycle?
“3 Rs” · Renewable & non-renewable …
7. Is hydroelectric power generated by flowing river water a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Is hydroelectric power gen… · Renewable & non-renewable …
8. Which greenhouse gas is released in large quantities when fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are burned: carbon dioxide or argon?
Which greenhouse gas is re… · Renewable & non-renewable …
9. Why is fresh groundwater on small coral islands a delicate resource that must not be over-pumped: saltwater intrusion can spoil the freshwater lens, or it turns into lava?
Why is fresh groundwater o… · Renewable & non-renewable …
10. What happens when too many fish are caught faster than the population can reproduce: overfishing (stock depletion) or eutrophication?
What happens when too many… · Renewable & non-renewable …
11. What mineral ore is smelted in a blast furnace to produce iron and steel: hematite (iron ore) or halite?
What mineral ore is smelte… · Renewable & non-renewable …
12. Why does planting coastal mangroves and vegetation help protect islands: roots bind sand and buffer wave erosion, or they increase wave height?
Why does planting coastal … · Renewable & non-renewable …
12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Why is pole-and-line tuna fishing (practised in the Maldives) considered more sustainable than large drift nets: it catches fish one by one with minimal bycatch, or it scrapes the seabed?
It catches fish one by one with minimal bycatch
Pole-and-line fishing avoids accidental capture of turtles, sharks and dolphins.
2. Is coal formed from ancient buried plants over millions of years a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Non-renewable
Coal is a fossil fuel that takes millions of years to form and cannot be replaced quickly.
3. Is geothermal energy drawn from heat inside Earth’s crust a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Renewable
Earth’s internal heat is continuously produced and replenished.
4. What device converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor cells: a photovoltaic solar panel or a diesel generator?
Photovoltaic solar panel
Photovoltaic cells convert light photons directly into electrical current.
5. Is natural gas (mainly methane) trapped in rock layers a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Non-renewable
Natural gas is a finite fossil fuel.
6. In the “3 Rs” of waste reduction (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which action prevents waste from being created in the first place: Reduce or Recycle?
Reduce
Reducing consumption avoids using raw materials and energy from the outset.
7. Is hydroelectric power generated by flowing river water a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Renewable
The water cycle continually replenishes river flow through rainfall.
8. Which greenhouse gas is released in large quantities when fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are burned: carbon dioxide or argon?
Carbon dioxide
Combustion of carbon-based fuels oxidises carbon into carbon dioxide (CO₂).
9. Why is fresh groundwater on small coral islands a delicate resource that must not be over-pumped: saltwater intrusion can spoil the freshwater lens, or it turns into lava?
Saltwater intrusion can spoil the freshwater lens
Freshwater floats as a thin lens above denser seawater; over-extraction draws salt water in.
10. What happens when too many fish are caught faster than the population can reproduce: overfishing (stock depletion) or eutrophication?
Overfishing (stock depletion)
Harvesting beyond maximum sustainable yield depletes fish populations.
11. What mineral ore is smelted in a blast furnace to produce iron and steel: hematite (iron ore) or halite?
Hematite (iron ore)
Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is a major iron ore.
12. Why does planting coastal mangroves and vegetation help protect islands: roots bind sand and buffer wave erosion, or they increase wave height?
Roots bind sand and buffer wave erosion
Coastal vegetation stabilises shorelines and absorbs wave energy.
12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Why is pole-and-line tuna fishing (practised in the Maldives) considered more sustainable than large drift nets: it catches fish one by one with minimal bycatch, or it scrapes the seabed?
Why is pole-and-line tuna … · Renewable & non-renewable …
2. Is coal formed from ancient buried plants over millions of years a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is coal formed from ancien… · Renewable & non-renewable …
3. Is geothermal energy drawn from heat inside Earth’s crust a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Is geothermal energy drawn… · Renewable & non-renewable …
4. What device converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor cells: a photovoltaic solar panel or a diesel generator?
What device converts sunli… · Renewable & non-renewable …
5. Is natural gas (mainly methane) trapped in rock layers a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is natural gas (mainly met… · Renewable & non-renewable …
6. In the “3 Rs” of waste reduction (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which action prevents waste from being created in the first place: Reduce or Recycle?
“3 Rs” · Renewable & non-renewable …
7. Is hydroelectric power generated by flowing river water a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Is hydroelectric power gen… · Renewable & non-renewable …
8. Which greenhouse gas is released in large quantities when fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are burned: carbon dioxide or argon?
Which greenhouse gas is re… · Renewable & non-renewable …
9. Why is fresh groundwater on small coral islands a delicate resource that must not be over-pumped: saltwater intrusion can spoil the freshwater lens, or it turns into lava?
Why is fresh groundwater o… · Renewable & non-renewable …
10. What happens when too many fish are caught faster than the population can reproduce: overfishing (stock depletion) or eutrophication?
What happens when too many… · Renewable & non-renewable …
11. What mineral ore is smelted in a blast furnace to produce iron and steel: hematite (iron ore) or halite?
What mineral ore is smelte… · Renewable & non-renewable …
12. Why does planting coastal mangroves and vegetation help protect islands: roots bind sand and buffer wave erosion, or they increase wave height?
Why does planting coastal … · Renewable & non-renewable …
12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Why is pole-and-line tuna fishing (practised in the Maldives) considered more sustainable than large drift nets: it catches fish one by one with minimal bycatch, or it scrapes the seabed?
It catches fish one by one with minimal bycatch
Pole-and-line fishing avoids accidental capture of turtles, sharks and dolphins.
2. Is coal formed from ancient buried plants over millions of years a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Non-renewable
Coal is a fossil fuel that takes millions of years to form and cannot be replaced quickly.
3. Is geothermal energy drawn from heat inside Earth’s crust a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Renewable
Earth’s internal heat is continuously produced and replenished.
4. What device converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor cells: a photovoltaic solar panel or a diesel generator?
Photovoltaic solar panel
Photovoltaic cells convert light photons directly into electrical current.
5. Is natural gas (mainly methane) trapped in rock layers a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Non-renewable
Natural gas is a finite fossil fuel.
6. In the “3 Rs” of waste reduction (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which action prevents waste from being created in the first place: Reduce or Recycle?
Reduce
Reducing consumption avoids using raw materials and energy from the outset.
7. Is hydroelectric power generated by flowing river water a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Renewable
The water cycle continually replenishes river flow through rainfall.
8. Which greenhouse gas is released in large quantities when fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are burned: carbon dioxide or argon?
Carbon dioxide
Combustion of carbon-based fuels oxidises carbon into carbon dioxide (CO₂).
9. Why is fresh groundwater on small coral islands a delicate resource that must not be over-pumped: saltwater intrusion can spoil the freshwater lens, or it turns into lava?
Saltwater intrusion can spoil the freshwater lens
Freshwater floats as a thin lens above denser seawater; over-extraction draws salt water in.
10. What happens when too many fish are caught faster than the population can reproduce: overfishing (stock depletion) or eutrophication?
Overfishing (stock depletion)
Harvesting beyond maximum sustainable yield depletes fish populations.
11. What mineral ore is smelted in a blast furnace to produce iron and steel: hematite (iron ore) or halite?
Hematite (iron ore)
Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is a major iron ore.
12. Why does planting coastal mangroves and vegetation help protect islands: roots bind sand and buffer wave erosion, or they increase wave height?
Roots bind sand and buffer wave erosion
Coastal vegetation stabilises shorelines and absorbs wave energy.
12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification