Example of Inexhaustible Resources

The inexhaustible resources They are those natural resources that, despite the passage of time or the fact that human beings have them to meet their needs, will never be finished, because remain in nature, regenerating and always present.

Inexhaustible resources are a type of natural resources, that is, they are obtained directly from nature, from its reserves on the planet, and in whose creation humanity does not participate.

Examples of inexhaustible resources:

1. Solar radiation
2. Water
3. The tides
4. The movement of water
5. Wind
6. The Oxigen
7. Nuclear fusion
8. The salts

Types of inexhaustible resources:

There are two types: inexhaustible renewable, inexhaustible non-renewable. We explain them below.

1. Inexhaustible non-renewable resources

Despite the above, there are also some nonrenewable resources considered as inexhaustible, since although they are in great abundance and cannot regenerate, the human being throughout his stay on the planet would not be able to destroy them.

2. Inexhaustible renewable resources

The

inexhaustible resources are a category of renewable resources, which are those that by themselves they can regenerate naturally, through the chemical and biological phenomena of the planet. This is true, as long as the human being does not overuse them and their ability to recover is exceeded.

Contrary to renewable resources as they are, inexhaustible resources have an existence that not in danger, no matter how much they are exploited and use.

The inexhaustible resources are used in their natural form or transformed through processes, according to the need that is required to attend.

To obtain these resources from nature it is necessary to make use of technologies or techniques, since many times it is necessary to Overcome obstacles such as the depth of the reservoirs or the hardness of the soil. It is therefore that sometimes the exploitation of these resources implies a great economic cost.

Inexhaustible resources are normally found in large quantities and with great power, although his presenceai or intensity may vary because they depend on phenomena of nature.

For example, solar radiation varies depending on the position and distance of the earth from the sun. At different times and regions, the power and amount of this energy can vary.

The inexhaustible resources that provide energyíathey are a great source of benefits for humanity, due to their durable quality and because they can be a less aggressive alternative to the environment.

Unlike with inexhaustible resources, the energy produced by non-renewable fuels such as oil is pollutant and its obtaining, in addition, brings political and economic problems, due to scarcity and its demand every day highest.

1. Solar radiation:

This resource is indispensable for terrestrial life; is energy provided by the central star of the solar system, and reaches the earth in the form of electromagnetic radiation, which is a set of waves scattered in space. This radiation is obtained as heat and serves to generate other forms of energy useful for humans.

The human being makes use of solar radiation as a resource to produce electrical and thermal energy; that is, to generate electricity and heat. To achieve this, technological devices are required to collect and transform said radiation into the necessary energy.

In order to take advantage of heat energy collectors, heaters or solar heaters are used; and to produce electrical energy, solar or photovoltaic panels are used, which work at from cells that transform solar radiation into a flow of electrons, a current electrical.

2. Water:

This essential resource for life is found on the earth's surface in a liquid, solid or gaseous state. Most of liquid water is accompanied by salts (salty), since pure water is one of the strongest solvents, and carries soluble substances with it.

There is a minimum percentage of fresh water (with less dissolved salts) in the earth, which is what can be captured for its treatment and use. There are currently some reverse osmosis desalination plants, to convert salt water into drinking water, although the cost of this process is high.

Water is sometimes considered a renewable but exhaustible resource; However, some classifications consider it inexhaustible because it makes up most of the earth's surface and its depletion would be difficult; In addition, it is a resource that renews itself in what we know as the hydraulic cycle or the water cycle.

As a resource, water is used for produce food or goods in industrial processes (It is used for cooling and heating, as a solvent or as a raw material to create other products) and in agriculture to irrigate crops.

Another important use of this resource is as a cleaning or sanitary agent, to clean food or objects; also the human being uses it for his personal hygiene and for his consumption.

3. The tides:

Tides are movements in which the water level of the oceans rises or falls. This altitude changes due to the gravitational pull produced by the moon and the sun. Tides are an inexhaustible resource that can be used to produce the so-called Seawater energy, Energy obtained from the tides. From it, it is possible to obtain electrical energy that is not polluting for the environment.

4. The movement of water:

The movement of water, both salty and fresh, is another inexhaustible natural resource that can be used for energy. Among the types of energy that can be obtained with this resource are the following:

1. Wave energy. This energy is what is produced with the movement of the waves of the sea. From this kinetic energy electrical energy can be produced. This energy is closely related to wind energy; since the wind is decisive to produce the waves.
2. Hydraulic power. It is known by this name in general to all that energy obtained by the movement of the waters. When electrical energy is obtained it is known, then, as hydroelectric energy. Some examples of obtaining this energy are water mills and hydroelectric power plants that work on the basis of dams with which the flow of water is controlled.

 5. Wind:

This inexhaustible natural resource is a stream or flow of air, which is a natural component of the Earth's atmosphere and which is made up of different gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen and noble gases. The wind is the natural movement of said gas mixture called "air".

The movement of the air can be used to produce electrical or kinetic energy. This type of energy is called wind energy. Obtaining wind energy depends on the speed of the wind (which is measured in km per hour) and its density; This can have a variable intensity that depends on different natural factors.

An example of taking advantage of this inexhaustible resource are the sailboats, boats that are propelled by the force of the wind. Another example is the use of wind turbines which are used to transform wind energy into electrical energy.

6. The Oxigen:

Oxygen is an element of nature that is essential for life. This element is present in the air, in water, in living beings and various organic substances. When two atoms of this element come together, gaseous oxygen or dioxygen (O₂), which is a gas present in the air and that we commonly refer to only as “oxygen”. The use of oxygen as a resource for the benefit of human beings is very wide. Some of its uses are:

• It is used for combustion processes.
• Along with liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen is used to power rocket engines. The combination of both, oxygen as an oxidant and nitrogen as a fuel, generate a powerful chemical reaction.
• It is used as a remedy also for people who have respiratory deficiencies. For this, it is stored in specialized tanks that regulate its administration.
• It is used for the production of steel.

7. Nuclear fusion

It is an energy that is considered inexhaustible although there is still not enough technological development to take advantage of and generate this energy. This type of energy is obtained by fusing two nuclei of light atoms; Such fusion generates a denser or heavier nucleus and energy is released. One of the advantages of this type of energy is that it does not generate pollutants in the environment and that its production cost would also be economical; Therefore, it is considered one of the energies that in the future could replace other types of energies that generate higher costs and also pollute the environment.

8. The salts

The salts are nonrenewable resources that are obtained from seas and mines and that hypothetically could be depleted. The reserves of these minerals are fixed, and if fully used they would be exhausted.

However, many classifications consider them an inexhaustible resource because it is found in very abundant quantities and despite its continuous use it is very difficult to exhaust it.

Salt is used as a resource for different purposes, among which the following stand out:

• As seasonings and food preservatives
• To dehydrate various materials or substances
• To lower the freezing point of water
• In the textile industry it is used to improve the dyeing of fabrics
• For the manufacture of chlorine
• To stop the growth of certain bacteria

It may interest you:

Examples of non-renewable resources.