Differentiate between exhaustible and inexhaustible resources with examples.
Exhaustible resources: These are natural resources that are available in limited quantities. These resources take millions of years to form and hence once depleted cannot be replenished.
Inexhaustible resources: These are natural resources that are available in unlimited quantities. Since their substrates are available in unlimited quantities, they are never depleted despite being utilized innumerable times.
Exhaustible resources | Inexhaustible resources |
These are available in limited quantities. | These are available in unlimited quantities. |
These take millions of years to form. | These may take less time than exhaustible resources to form. |
These can exhaust due to human activities if not used wisely. | These will not exhaust despite innumerable usage by human activities. |
Examples: Coal, Petrol, Natural gas, etc. | Examples: Sunlight, Water, Air, etc. |