What is a Resource for Kids?
A resource is something physical and important from the world around us that people need.
Based on the definition provided, a resource is a physical material that humans need and value. This means it's something real and tangible from nature that is important for people to live and do things.
Examples of resources that are needed and valued include:
- Land: The ground where we build houses and grow food.
- Air: The vital stuff we breathe every second.
- Water: What we drink, use for washing, and which helps plants grow.
These are all physical materials that humans need, making them resources.
Types of Resources: Can They Come Back?
Resources are also described by whether or not they can easily replace themselves after being used.
| Type of Resource | What it Means | How Much Is There? |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable | Can replenish itself at the rate it is used | Can last a long time if managed well |
| Nonrenewable | Has a limited supply and doesn't replenish quickly | Will eventually run out |
A renewable resource is one that can replenish itself at the rate it is used. This is like a forest that can regrow trees as they are cut down, as long as new trees are planted.
A nonrenewable resource has a limited supply. Once these resources are used up, they are gone forever, or they take an extremely long time to form again (much longer than anyone lives).
So, when talking about resources, even for kids, we are referring to these important physical materials from the earth that people need and value, and how they are replenished.
