Question

Which of the following is an exhaustible natural resource?
a.) Air
b.) Water
c.) Coal
d.) Sunlight

Answer 1

Hint: The word exhaustible is defined as something that is present in a finite amount and can be used up completely. Therefore, to answer this question, think of which of these resources do we have finite reserves of and could possibly run out of if we aren’t careful.
Complete step-by-step answer:
To find an answer to this question, let us go through each option individually and see if it fits the definition of exhaustibility as is defined above.
Air is a natural resource that is abundant in nature and is very easy to regenerate as in addition to the Earth’s atmosphere, all plants and animals contribute to the production of air, be it in whichever form. Therefore, we can safely conclude that air is an inexhaustible resource and is therefore not our answer.
Water is another natural resource that is abundant in nature and is very easy to regenerate as in addition to the Earth’s vast reserves of water (i.e. oceans, seas, rivers etc.), it is regularly replenished in the form of rainfall and the melting of glaciers and icecaps. Therefore, we can safely conclude that water is an inexhaustible resource and is therefore not our answer.
Coal on the other hand is a resource that we only have a certain amount of reserves for and upon complete usage of these reserves, it is very hard to replenish coal as it is formed as a product of the fossilisation of plants, a process that takes millions of years to complete. Therefore, by this logic, coal and all other fossil fuels like petroleum and natural gas are exhaustible in nature.
Similar to air and water, sunlight is an easily available resource that is abundant in nature and is made available for use simply by exposure to the sun. Therefore, this is also an inexhaustible resource.
By this analysis, we can safely conclude that the answer to this question is c) Coal.

Note: Examples of exhaustible natural resources are fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas, as well as minerals like iron, copper, and aluminium. It is advisable to keep these examples in mind so as to make sure you don’t stumble on any similar questions in the future. Also, it is essential to know both the definition and the usage of the word exhaustible to be able to answer this question correctly. Therefore, before you answer this question, try and contextualise all the given options in the status quo and see if they fit the definition. We should also make sure that we utilise such resources with utmost concern.