Natural Resources Vocabulary Builder

1. natural resource - a material that occurs in nature that is essential or useful to people
2. renewable resources – any natural resource that can be replenished naturally over time
3. nonrenewable resources – any natural resource from the earth that exists in limited supply and
cannot be replaced if it is used up
4. fossil fuel – a fuel, such as coal, oil, or natural gas, formed in the earth from plant and animal
remains over millions of years
5. energy source – an object or item that has the ability to cause a change in matter; often used to
generate electricity
6. conservation – the careful use of resources so that they will last as long as possible
7. reduce – to use less
8. recycle – to process used products into new products by using the materials again
9. reuse – to use items again after their original use

Matter McGuire 2011- 2012