KS3 · Geography

Renewable and non-renewable resources

Is a fish farm 'natural'? What about a reservoir? Hold that thought. First: which energy sources keep coming, and which will one day run out?

Geography · Energy resources

Will it run out?

Pick a resource, then pick its bin. Seven resources, three bins. One of those bins is going to be very lonely. Can you guess which?

Still to sort

Renewable (0)

Replenishes naturally over short periods

Where the line is: The test is 'will it run out?' Renewable resources won't.

Non-renewable: fossil fuel (0)

Will run out, and formed from buried ancient organisms

Where the line is: Both non-renewable bins will run out. What makes this one 'fossil' is how it formed.

Non-renewable: not a fossil fuel (0)

Will run out, but isn't a fossil fuel

Where the line is: Non-renewable like coal, oil and gas, but it comes from splitting atoms, not from buried remains of ancient organisms.

7 of 7 still to sort.

Back to the fish farm

Remember the fish farm from the start? Commit to an answer before you look.

A managed forest, a fish farm and a reservoir. Are they natural resources?

Three renewables, two routes to electricity

Wind and hydroelectricvsSolar

Solar, wind and hydroelectric are all renewable. But they don't all make electricity the same way.

Focus

What gets things moving

Wind and hydroelectric

Wind turns wind turbines. Water turns turbines inside hydroelectric power dams.

Solar

Light energy from sunlight reaches photovoltaic cells.

The insight

Different starting points, but all three are renewable resources.

How the electricity is produced

Wind and hydroelectric

The turning turbines drive a generator, which provides electricity.

Solar

The photovoltaic cells convert the light energy into electricity.

Which group?

Wind and hydroelectric

Renewable

Solar

Renewable

Which idea is yours?

Non-renewable and fossil fuel: same thing?

A friend is revising energy resources and says something about non-renewable resources and fossil fuels.

Which is closest to what you'd say?
How sure are you?

Fossil fuels and global warming

?

Reason it through

Why does burning fossil fuels make global warming worse?

Link 1 of 4

First link · your turn

Where does the chain begin? What is done to the fossil fuel?

2
Locked — reveal the link above first
3
Locked — reveal the link above first
4
Locked — reveal the link above first

WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED

A quick recap of today's lesson.

What you need to know

  • A natural resource is a material or substance that occurs naturally in the environment and can be used by humans to meet their needs. Many have been heavily managed, modified or even created by humans.
  • Energy resources split into two main groups. Renewable ones replenish naturally over short periods and won't run out. Non-renewable ones can't be quickly replaced and will eventually run out.
  • Solar, wind and hydroelectric are renewable. Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear are non-renewable.
  • Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels, formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms. Nuclear is non-renewable but not a fossil fuel.
  • Wind and water turn turbines that drive a generator. Solar uses photovoltaic cells to convert light energy into electricity.
  • Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and worsens global warming.

The big picture

Energy resources fall into two main groups. Renewable resources (solar, wind, hydroelectric) replenish naturally over short periods and won't run out. Non-renewable resources (coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear) can't be quickly replaced and will eventually run out. Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels, formed over millions of years from buried remains of ancient organisms. Nuclear is non-renewable but isn't a fossil fuel. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which worsens global warming.

Key points

1Natural resources are materials or substances from the natural environment that people use to meet their needs, even if humans have managed, modified or created them.
2Renewable resources replenish naturally over short periods and won't run out; non-renewable resources can't be quickly replaced and will eventually run out.
3Every fossil fuel is non-renewable, but not every non-renewable resource is a fossil fuel. Nuclear energy is the exception, because it comes from splitting atoms.
4Wind and hydroelectric power work through turbines and a generator; solar works through photovoltaic cells.
5Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and that worsens global warming.

Worked example

Problem

You're told a new energy source will eventually run out, but it comes from splitting atoms, usually uranium. Which group does it belong in? Use the two questions to decide.

⚠ Watch out

Treating 'non-renewable' and 'fossil fuel' as one label. All fossil fuels are non-renewable, but nuclear energy is non-renewable and is not a fossil fuel. It comes from splitting atoms, not from buried remains of ancient organisms.

🧠

Memory hook

Two questions, in order. First: 'Will it run out?' Second: 'Is it made from buried ancient organisms?' Coal, oil and gas answer yes, yes. Nuclear answers yes, no. The odd one out.

✓

Check yourself

Cover the page. Name the three bins and put one resource in each. Then say in one sentence why nuclear can't go in the fossil fuel bin.

Flashcards

(12)
What is a natural resource?
A material or substance that occurs naturally in the environment and can be used by humans to meet their needs.
Can humans manage or even create natural resources?
Yes. Many natural resources have been heavily managed, modified or even created by humans, for example managed forests, fish farms and reservoirs.
What are the two main groups of energy resources?
Renewable and non-renewable.
What does renewable mean?
It replenishes naturally over short periods of time, so it won't be used up or run out.
What does non-renewable mean?
It can't be quickly replaced, so it will eventually run out.
Which energy resources are renewable?
Solar, wind and hydroelectric.
Which energy resources are non-renewable?
Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear.
What is a fossil fuel?
A natural substance formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms. Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels, and all fossil fuels are non-renewable.
Why is nuclear the odd one out?
It's non-renewable, but it isn't a fossil fuel. It comes from splitting atoms, usually uranium, in a process called nuclear fission.
How do wind and hydroelectric power provide electricity?
Wind turns wind turbines, and water turns turbines inside hydroelectric power dams. The turning turbines drive a generator, which provides electricity.
How does solar energy provide electricity?
Photovoltaic cells convert light energy from sunlight into electricity.
Why does burning fossil fuels worsen global warming?
It releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

Tap any card to flip it, or use Study as deck to go through them one at a time. In the full lesson these run as a spaced-repetition deck — you rate each card Hard, Good or Easy and the tricky ones keep coming back until they stick.

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How this lesson was checked. This KS3 Geographylesson was published through Lightbulb Learning's human-designed editorial process — the educational standards, accuracy rules and publication checks it must pass were authored and approved by Philip Halpin. It passed subject-specific assessment, automated educational checks and technical publication verification before going live (publication checks completed 9 October 2026). Published pages are monitored, human spot-checking is ongoing across the lesson library, and anything found wrong is corrected or withdrawn. How our lessons are made and checked. Spotted a mistake? Email hello@lightbulblearning.co and we'll review it.