Every kilowatt we use is drawn from somewhere: ancient sunlight locked in coal, the pull of the Moon on the seas, or heat rising from deep inside the Earth. Sorting these into what runs out and what renews, and tracing them back to their source, is the heart of this topic.
Energy resources are either non-renewable (fossil fuels and nuclear fuel, which run out) or renewable (replenished as fast as they are used). Most of our energy can be traced back to the Sun, with a few exceptions.
A renewable resource is replenished as fast as it is used; a non-renewable resource is used far faster than it forms and will run out.
The exceptions are geothermal (heat inside the Earth), tidal (mainly the Moon) and nuclear (the fuel itself).
Explore each resource and follow its energy back to where it began. Most threads lead to the Sun, a few to the Moon or to the Earth interior.
Four quick checks on the two categories and where the energy comes from. Each correct answer earns XP and lights this skill on your star map.
A renewable energy resource is one that...
Which of these is a non-renewable resource?
Most of the energy resources we use can be traced back to...
Which resource does NOT originate from the Sun?
The dividing line is simple: does the resource refill as quickly as we draw on it? Fossil fuels and nuclear fuel do not, so they will eventually run out. Renewables are topped up by nature.
| Non-renewable | Renewable |
|---|---|
| Coal, oil, natural gas (fossil fuels) | Solar, wind, hydroelectric |
| Nuclear fuel (uranium) | Tidal, wave, geothermal |
| Run out: used far faster than they form | Replenished as fast as they are used |
| Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide | Little or no carbon dioxide in use |
Most resources trace back to the Sun: it drives the weather (wind and waves), the water cycle (hydroelectric), and plant growth (biofuels and fossil fuels). The clear exceptions are geothermal (heat from inside the Earth), tidal (mainly the Moon gravity) and nuclear (energy stored in the fuel). Learn those three exceptions and you can reason out the rest.
Unlocks once the four checks above are done. Worth more XP, written in the style of Paper 2.
Which list contains only renewable resources?
The energy carried by wind originally came from the Sun because the Sun...
A major advantage of renewable resources over fossil fuels is that they...
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