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SAI International School
Class – VIII

Subject – Chemistry
Topic – Coal and Petroleum
Sub-Topic – Introduction, Exhaustible and Inexhaustible resources,

Fossil Fuels

LESSON NOTE

What is Resource?
The substances that are useful and beneficial to us are known as resources.

Resources can be of two types:
1. Natural resources.
2. Man-made resources.

Natural Resources.
The resources that are obtained from the environment for our use and benefit are called natural
resources.

E.g. Sunlight, air, water, coal, petroleum etc.

Man-made Resources.
The resources that are not obtained from the environment and are produced by humans.

E.g. shirt, umbrella, cars etc.

We can also categorise natural resources into:
a. Renewable resources.
b. Non-renewable resources.

Renewable Resources.
The resources are those that will either never run out, such as light or heat from the Sun, or are
renewed through relatively rapid natural cycles, like surface water, which is replenished through the
water cycle etc.

Some renewable resources are inexhaustible, where as some others are exhaustible resources.

Inexhaustible Resource:
The resources that cannot be used up completely or it is not going to get over are called inexhaustible
resources.
E.g. Sunlight, air, water etc.

Exhaustible resource:
The resources that are present in nature in limited amount and can be used up completely and can
get over by human activities are called exhaustible resources or Non-renewable resources.

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