N
ATURAL
R
ESOURCES
OF
P
ENNSYLVANIA
F
OCUS
Q
UESTIONS
:
1. What is a natural resource?
2. What are our largest natural resources?
3. What products do we get fromour natural resources?
4. How can we use our natural resourcesmore wisely?
LESSON
4
KEY
WORDS
natural resource
renewable
non-renewable
loam
fossil fuels
anthracite
bituminous
natural gas
petroleum
mineral resources
population density
Piedmont Region
Ridge and Valley
Region
Allegheny National
Forest
When you look around your home, school, or community, let’s
not forget where all of the rawmaterials came from to build the
products we need. They came to us by smashing rocks, moving
soil, sawing wood, or pumping liquids fromwithin or on our
planet.
Natural resources
are those rawmaterials that exist in a
natural state on earth. They are used to supply humans with
goods and products.
Pennsylvania is very fortunate to havemany natural
resources. Our waterways, soils, forests, fossil fuels, landforms,
minerals, plants, animals, and people are all natural resources.
They have played a vital role in the development of
Pennsylvania’s industries.
Natural resources can be
renewable
or
non-renewable
.
A renewable resource can be replaced. Forests, plants,
animals, and people are living renewable resources.
Air, water, and soil are non-living renewable
resources. For example, fresh water is used by
plants, animals, and people as part of their
living processes. The water is renewed by
means of the water cycle. Wastewater from
homes and factoriesmust bemade clean
again. After dirty water goes through
several processes, it can be
returned to rivers and streams.
KEY
PLACES
A non-renewable resource cannot
be replaced. Once a non-renewable
resource is used up, it is gone forever.
Some non-renewable resources are
coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, and
sand. For example, when we use oil,
we cannot createmore to replace it.
Let’s examine each of Pennsylvania’s
major natural resources.
Wind farms such as these “harvest” the energy
naturally from the wind with very little of the
environmental impact of traditional energy
sources. No fuel is consumed when they operate,
and they emit none of the air pollution associated
with fossil fuels.
Wastewater treatment
facilities remove
harmful materials
from the water that
leaves our homes and
businesses. The treated
water then is suitable
to be released back into
our environment.
Natural Resources of Pennsylvania
15
