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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. 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 …
2. What rock ore is mined as the primary raw material for extracting aluminium metal: bauxite or chalk?
What rock ore is mined as … · Renewable & non-renewable …
3. Which metal commonly used in drink cans can be melted down and recycled repeatedly with up to 95% less energy than making it from raw bauxite ore: aluminium or coal?
95% · Renewable & non-renewable …
4. 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 …
5. Why are single-use plastics harmful to marine ecosystems: they persist for centuries and break into microplastics, or they dissolve into oxygen?
Why are single-use plastic… · Renewable & non-renewable …
6. Is crude oil (petroleum) extracted from underground reservoirs a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is crude oil (petroleum) e… · Renewable & non-renewable …
7. Is tidal energy generated by the rise and fall of ocean tides a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is tidal energy generated … · Renewable & non-renewable …
8. 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 …
9. 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 …
10. What term describes meeting present human needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs: sustainability or deforestation?
What term describes meetin… · Renewable & non-renewable …
11. 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 …
12. Is hydroelectric power generated by flowing river water a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Is hydroelectric power gen… · Renewable & non-renewable …
12 questions · Seed 43 · 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 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.
2. What rock ore is mined as the primary raw material for extracting aluminium metal: bauxite or chalk?
Bauxite
Bauxite is the principal aluminium ore.
3. Which metal commonly used in drink cans can be melted down and recycled repeatedly with up to 95% less energy than making it from raw bauxite ore: aluminium or coal?
Aluminium
Recycling aluminium saves roughly 95% of the energy required for primary smelting.
4. 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.
5. Why are single-use plastics harmful to marine ecosystems: they persist for centuries and break into microplastics, or they dissolve into oxygen?
They persist for centuries and break into microplastics
Conventional plastics do not biodegrade readily and fragment into harmful microplastics.
6. Is crude oil (petroleum) extracted from underground reservoirs a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Non-renewable
Crude oil is a finite fossil fuel resource.
7. Is tidal energy generated by the rise and fall of ocean tides a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Renewable
Ocean tides are reliably driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.
8. 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.
9. 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).
10. What term describes meeting present human needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs: sustainability or deforestation?
Sustainability
Sustainability balances environmental, social and economic stewardship over time.
11. 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.
12. 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.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. 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 …
2. What rock ore is mined as the primary raw material for extracting aluminium metal: bauxite or chalk?
What rock ore is mined as … · Renewable & non-renewable …
3. Which metal commonly used in drink cans can be melted down and recycled repeatedly with up to 95% less energy than making it from raw bauxite ore: aluminium or coal?
95% · Renewable & non-renewable …
4. 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 …
5. Why are single-use plastics harmful to marine ecosystems: they persist for centuries and break into microplastics, or they dissolve into oxygen?
Why are single-use plastic… · Renewable & non-renewable …
6. Is crude oil (petroleum) extracted from underground reservoirs a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is crude oil (petroleum) e… · Renewable & non-renewable …
7. Is tidal energy generated by the rise and fall of ocean tides a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Is tidal energy generated … · Renewable & non-renewable …
8. 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 …
9. 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 …
10. What term describes meeting present human needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs: sustainability or deforestation?
What term describes meetin… · Renewable & non-renewable …
11. 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 …
12. Is hydroelectric power generated by flowing river water a renewable or non-renewable energy resource?
Is hydroelectric power gen… · Renewable & non-renewable …
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Renewable & non-renewable resources
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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.
2. What rock ore is mined as the primary raw material for extracting aluminium metal: bauxite or chalk?
Bauxite
Bauxite is the principal aluminium ore.
3. Which metal commonly used in drink cans can be melted down and recycled repeatedly with up to 95% less energy than making it from raw bauxite ore: aluminium or coal?
Aluminium
Recycling aluminium saves roughly 95% of the energy required for primary smelting.
4. 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.
5. Why are single-use plastics harmful to marine ecosystems: they persist for centuries and break into microplastics, or they dissolve into oxygen?
They persist for centuries and break into microplastics
Conventional plastics do not biodegrade readily and fragment into harmful microplastics.
6. Is crude oil (petroleum) extracted from underground reservoirs a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Non-renewable
Crude oil is a finite fossil fuel resource.
7. Is tidal energy generated by the rise and fall of ocean tides a renewable or non-renewable resource?
Renewable
Ocean tides are reliably driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.
8. 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.
9. 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).
10. What term describes meeting present human needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs: sustainability or deforestation?
Sustainability
Sustainability balances environmental, social and economic stewardship over time.
11. 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.
12. 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.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification