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Difficulty: EasyConservation of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Petroleum and natural gas are classified as renewable natural resources because they are naturally formed within the Earth's crust over geological time scales.

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Answer

The statement is false. Petroleum and natural gas are non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form and exist in finite quantities.
Fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas require millions of years to form inside the Earth. Because they are being consumed at a rate drastically higher than their natural rate of formation, they exist in limited supplies and are classified strictly as non-renewable resources.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the natural resource types being referenced.
Petroleum and natural gas are fossil fuels formed from decomposed organic matter under high pressure and temperature over millions of years.
Categorizing resources requires understanding their origin and formation timeframe.
2
Distinguish between renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
Renewable resources (such as solar energy or wind) replenish naturally within a short human timeframe, while non-renewable resources (fossil fuels, minerals) take geological epochs to form and cannot be replenished once depleted.
Evaluating the statement requires applying the standard biological and environmental definitions of resource sustainability.

Key Concept

Distinguishing Renewable from Non-Renewable Natural Resources
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Conservation of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

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