Using the Earth's Resources

Humans rely on the Earth to provide everything we need to survive and develop. This lesson introduces the key ideas behind how we use the Earth's natural resources, the distinction between finite and renewable resources, and the concept of sustainable development. These ideas underpin the entire AQA GCSE Chemistry Topic: Using Resources.

Natural Resources and Synthetic Products

A natural resource is a material that comes from the Earth, the sea or the atmosphere and can be used by humans. Humans have always exploited natural resources to provide warmth, shelter, food and transport.

Type of Resource	Definition	Examples
Natural resource	A material found in or produced by the Earth that can be exploited by humans	Wood, cotton, stone, crude oil, metal ores
Synthetic product	A material made by chemical reactions that does not occur naturally	Plastics, nylon, medicines, fertilisers

As chemistry has developed, humans have been able to create synthetic alternatives to many natural products. For example:

Natural Product	Synthetic Alternative	Advantage of Synthetic
Wool	Polyester / Nylon	Cheaper, more uniform, easier to mass-produce
Rubber	Synthetic rubber	More consistent properties, wider availability
Leather	PVC / polyurethane	Lower cost, no animal welfare issues
Willow bark (aspirin precursor)	Synthesised aspirin	Purer, controlled dosage, mass production

Exam Tip: The AQA specification expects you to appreciate that chemistry provides the ability to make new materials that improve our quality of life. When asked to evaluate, discuss both benefits and drawbacks of replacing natural materials with synthetic ones.

Finite and Renewable Resources

Resources can be classified based on how quickly they can be replaced:

Resource Type	Definition	Examples
Finite (non-renewable)	Resources that are being used up faster than they can be formed; they will eventually run out	Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), metal ores, minerals
Renewable	Resources that can be replenished at the same rate as, or faster than, they are used	Wood (from managed forests), crops, wind, solar, tidal

graph TD
    A[Earth's Resources] --> B[Finite / Non-renewable]
    A --> C[Renewable]
    B --> D[Fossil Fuels]
    B --> E[Metal Ores]
    B --> F[Minerals]
    C --> G[Wood from managed forests]
    C --> H[Crops and biofuels]
    C --> I[Wind / Solar / Tidal energy]
    style A fill:#e3f2fd,stroke:#1565c0
    style B fill:#ffcdd2,stroke:#c62828
    style C fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#2e7d32
    style D fill:#ffcdd2,stroke:#c62828
    style E fill:#ffcdd2,stroke:#c62828
    style F fill:#ffcdd2,stroke:#c62828
    style G fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#2e7d32
    style H fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#2e7d32
    style I fill:#c8e6c9,stroke:#2e7d32

Exam Tip: Be careful not to confuse finite with non-existent. Finite resources still exist but are being depleted. The key point is that they form far more slowly than they are consumed — for example, fossil fuels take millions of years to form.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is one of the most important concepts in this topic.

Sustainable development requires a balance between:

Factor	What It Means
Economic needs	People need jobs, income and affordable products
Environmental protection	Ecosystems, habitats and biodiversity must be preserved
Social wellbeing	Communities need clean water, clean air and a healthy environment

How Chemistry Contributes to Sustainability

Chemistry helps achieve sustainability in several ways:

Developing new materials that are more efficient or less harmful
Finding ways to extract metals from low-grade ores or recycle existing metals
Creating biodegradable alternatives to persistent plastics
Improving energy efficiency in manufacturing processes
Developing water purification techniques

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Farming is one of the most significant ways humans use natural resources. Agriculture provides food for the global population, but it also requires:

Resource Used in Agriculture	Purpose
Land	Growing crops and rearing livestock
Water	Irrigation of crops, drinking water for animals
Fertilisers	Replacing minerals in soil (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium)
Pesticides	Protecting crops from insect damage
Energy	Powering machinery, heating greenhouses, transporting produce

The challenge is to produce enough food without depleting resources or causing long-term environmental damage. Intensive farming maximises yield but can harm the environment through pollution, soil erosion and habitat destruction.

Exam Tip: AQA may ask you to discuss the competing demands on natural resources. Always consider both sides — humans need resources for development, but over-exploitation damages the environment. A balanced answer that considers sustainability will score highest.

The Role of Water

Water is perhaps the most important natural resource. It is used for:

Drinking (potable water)
Agriculture (irrigation)
Industry (cooling, cleaning, as a solvent and reactant)
Domestic use (washing, cooking, sanitation)

In the UK, most drinking water comes from surface water (rivers, lakes, reservoirs) and groundwater (water stored in permeable rocks called aquifers). Different regions rely on different sources depending on local geology and rainfall patterns.

Summary

Humans use the Earth's resources to provide warmth, shelter, food and transport.
Natural resources come from the Earth; synthetic products are made by chemical processes.
Resources can be finite (non-renewable) or renewable.
Sustainable development meets today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Agriculture is a major user of natural resources including land, water, fertilisers and energy.
Water is essential for drinking, agriculture, industry and domestic use.
Chemistry plays a key role in developing sustainable solutions.

Exam Tip: When writing about sustainable development, always link your answer to a specific resource or process. Vague statements like "we should be sustainable" will not score marks — you need to explain how and why a particular approach is more sustainable.