Question

renewable or not?
background:
natural resources are the raw materials used for housing, clothing, transporting, heating, cooking, and so on. they include the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we farm, and the space we use for living and recreation. we can organize them into two categories: renewable and nonrenewable resources.
renewable resources are naturally occurring raw materials - or forms of energy - which can be replenished through ecological cycles and/ or sustainable management practices. examples include the sun, wind, falling water, and trees.
nonrenewable resources are those raw materials supplied by the earth and its processes that exist in finite, or limited, amounts. once used, they cannot be replaced. examples include oil, gas, and coal.
instructions: categorize the resources below as either renewable (r) or nonrenewable (n):
corn
oil
coal
sunshine
tides
trees
tuna
gold
geothermal/hot springs
sand
wind
water

Explanation:

Renewable resources can be replenished through ecological cycles or sustainable management. Non - renewable resources exist in finite amounts and cannot be replaced once used. Corn can be replanted, so it's renewable. Oil and coal are finite and non - renewable. Sunshine, tides, trees, geothermal/hot springs, wind, and water are renewable as they are replenished naturally. Tuna can be overfished but is renewable if managed properly. Gold and sand are non - renewable as they are in limited supply in the Earth's crust.

Answer:

Corn: R
Oil: N
Coal: N
Sunshine: R
Tides: R
Trees: R
Tuna: R
Gold: N
Geothermal/Hot springs: R
Sand: N
Wind: R
Water: R