Question

Fossil fuels are exhaustible natural resources because they:

• A. take millions of years to form.
• B. cannot be replenished in one human lifespan.
• C. can be formed only through a natural process.
• D. cause pollution.

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (C)

can be formed only through a natural process.

Fossil fuels require millions of years to form from the dead vegetation and animals that get buried deep inside the Earth. They require high temperature and pressure for their formation, which cannot be provided artificially in the laboratory. Therefore, they cannot be replenished in one human lifespan either by the natural or artificial means.

Fossil fuels produce a lot of pollution but this is not related to the exhaustible nature of these resources. Coal and petroleum are examples of fossil fuels.