Social

studies
Form 5
TOPIC:NATURAL OR
PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Terms/Concepts:

 Development- the process that creates growth, progress in economic, environmental,

and social improvements.

 Resource- means that are used to satisfy man’s needs and wants

 Physical resources- natural or man-made things that satisfy man’s needs.

 Non-renewable resource- a resource that cannot be replaced once it has been used up
or exhausted e.g. gold, oil

 Renewable resources- a resource that can replace itself or that can be replaced by
man through careful use and planning e.g. forests, water
Terms cont’

 Technology- the whole sector of the industrial application of science.

 Pollution- refers to the contamination or the spoiling of the environment or atmosphere

by the actions and activities of man.

 Sustainable development- acts which contribute to the development of a country in a

way which does not damage the environment or use up the earth’s resources.

 Re-afforestation- is the planting of forest tress where such vegetation once existed,
but has been removed by man.

 Afforestation- refers to the cultivation of trees where trees did not exist previously.
NATURAL RESOURCES
What are Physical resources?

 Physical resources are those gifts of nature such as land, water, minerals,
forests and animals, sunlight and wind.

 Human beings utilize these physical resources to manufacture a variety of

products. The land is used for agriculture, water is used for domestic and
industrial purposes, when we mined minerals several by-products are
manufactured and forests provide lumber for various purposes.
Classification of Resources:

 Physical resources may be classified into TWO (2) categories.

 Renewable resource also called inexhaustible resources-----are resources

which can be reinforced, resupplied, replaced or replenished after it has
been used.

 Non-renewable resource also called exhaustible resource----cannot be

replaced, or resupplied after it has been used.
EXAMPLES OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES

 Land
 Water
 Forests
 Beaches
 Marine life (animals)
 Solar energy
 wind
EXAMPLES OF NON-RENEWABLE
RESOURCES:
 Petroleum
 Bauxite
 Gold
 Diamond
 Natural gas
 Copper
 Silver
Physical resources

Natural resources Country Uses

Bauxite Guyana, Jamaica Aluminium- used in
machinery.
Diamonds Guyana Industrial diamonds
Gold Guyana Jewellery
Limestone Barbados, Jamaica, Cement, iron and steel
Trinidad and Tobago industry
Natural gas Trinidad and Tobago, Energy
Barbados
oil Trinidad and Tobago Petrol, plastics, paints
Sand and Silica Caribbean Construction, glass
Land Caribbean Agriculture, construction
pitch Trinidad and Tobago Asphalt for road
construction
 Cont’

Natural Resources Country Uses

sea Caribbean Fishing, salt
sun Caribbean Solar energy, tourism
wind Caribbean Turning windmills for the
production of electricity

Forests Guyana, Belize Lumber for construction

Gypsum Jamaica Cement, plaster of paris
Cont’

Country Resources

Antigua Cotton, rum, beaches

Bahamas Beaches, fish, lumber, salt
Barbados Refined petroleum, sugar, cement,
beaches
Belize Lumber, sugar, citrus, honey, fish
products
Dominica Bananas, citrus, coconut products
country Resources
Grenada Nutmeg, cocoa, mace, bananas,
beaches
Guyana Lumber, bauxite gold, sugar, rice, sea-
food, diamonds, clay , rum
Jamaica Bauxite, beaches, sugar, bananas,
coffee, manufactured goods
Montserrat Beaches, ground provision, light
industry
St. Christopher/Nevis Sugar, beaches, coconut products
St. Lucia Bananas, coconut products, beaches
St. Vincent Bananas, arrowroot, coconut products
beaches
Trinidad and Tobago Petroleum, sugar, rum, asphalt, cocoa,
Activity: Multiple Choice Question

 1. The purest source of energy is: a) wind b) natural gas c) petroleum d) sea
 2. The earliest source of energy used by man was: a) petroleum b) sea c) wind
d) forest
3. A resource which is not replaced is termed a:
a) renewable b) human c) physical d) non-renewable
4. Which of the following sources of energy are LEAST used in the Caribbean?
a) wind and water b) solar and hydro c) nuclear and atomic d) natural
gas and petroleum
 5. Which one of the following groups of physical resources is renewable?
Cont’

 A) oil, water, forests

 B) water, forest, marine life
 C) bauxite, natural gas, marine life
 D) wind, water uranium

 6. Which Caricom country is the major producer of petroleum in the

Caribbean?
 a) Barbados b) Trinidad and Tobago c) Jamaica d) Guyana