Unit 7 Test: Natural Resources and Human Impact
7th Grade PSI Science
Study Guide
Name ____________________________________
Directions: Define the following terms and/or concepts
1. natural resource
2. biotic
3. abiotic
4. atmosphere
5. hydrosphere
6. lithosphere
7. biosphere
8. nonrenewable
9. renewable
10. igneous processes
11. metamorphic processes
12. physical weathering
13. chemical weathering
14. aquifers
15. sedimentary processes
16. plate tectonics
17. deforestation
18. smeltering
19. fossil fuels
20. ecological overshoot
21. ecological footprint (per capita)
22. sustainability
Directions: Answer the following thoroughly
1. How are gaseous oxygen and nitrogen natural resources? Which “sphere” do they
come from?
2. Explain the role of the water cycle in natural resource consumption.
3. Which “sphere” does the sun belong to? Why is the sun considered a natural
resource? Is it renewable or nonrenewable?
4. Describe a natural resource from each of the four “spheres”. What is it? How is it
used? Is it biotic or abiotic? Is it renewable or nonrenewable?
5. What is the primary difference between nonrenewable and renewable resources?
Give examples of each.
6. Describe the distribution of various natural resources around the globe.
a. What causes this distribution?
b. Describe how this distribution impacts humans.
7. What natural resource is typically found near regions of:
a. hydrothermal activity
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7th Grade PSI
Natural Resources and Human Impact
b. metamorphic processes
8. Explain the role of surface processes such as physical and chemical weathering in
Earth’s natural resources.
9. Do all aquifers around the world store the same amount of water? Why or why
not?
10. Why must we drill very deep below Earth’s surface to obtain fossil fuels such as
oil?
11. How does deforestation benefit humans? What natural resources do we get from
it?
12. Explain the link between deforestation and
a. global warming
b. landslides and floods
c. atmospheric moisture
13. Why is the water supply threatened? Provide several examples.
14. What are some negative impacts of mining?
15. Why would eating less meat be beneficial for the Earth’s environment as well as
for humans?
16. What is the consequence of overfishing?
17. What are fossil fuels used for? Describe the impact of burning fossil fuels. What
are some alternatives to burning fossil fuels?
18. How are different species and their habitats affect by an ever growing human
population?
19. Describe the link between human population, natural resource consumption and
ecological footprint.
20. Is there a general relationship between the ecological footprint of a country and its
economic income? Explain.
21. Differentiate between sustainability and non-sustainability.
22. How did non-sustainable activities bring us into ecological overshoot?
23. Describe how the following activities are sustainable activities:
a. recycling (goods and water)
b. moving away from fossil fuel usage
c. using clean and renewable energy sources such as ??
d. reducing consumption and water use
e. improving water treatment
f. protecting greenspaces and parks
g. using energy efficient appliances and bulbs
24. What role does recording the pH of rainwater over a certain time period have in
monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment.
25. Explain why sustainable activities and technology are an individual and global
effort.
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7th Grade PSI
Natural Resources and Human Impact