Explore Energy Sources!

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Renewable energy sources can be replenished during our lifetime. They can be created over a relatively short period, meaning there is always a way to produce more energy from this source.

Nonrenewable energy sources cannot be quickly or easily replenished. Nonrenewable energy sources take a long time to form, and once they have been used, they are gone forever or at least the next few million years, according to scientific consensus.

(Scientific theories on the timeline of the earth and its processes differ. Check out our lesson under Additional Resoruces in the right-hand sidebar to explore further.)

• Can you figure out which energy sources are renewable and which are not?

Separate the energy sources below by dragging them into the appropriate categories.

• How did you do?

If you're confused, watch the video below.

First, explore nonrenewable energy sources.

Nonrenewable resources are finite, eventually running out. Fossil fuels take millions of years to form, so new fossil fuels can't be created when we run out because it would take too much time. Nuclear energy requires uranium, which is also a nonrenewable resource.

Look into fossil fuels first. Use the arrow keys to click through all of the slides below.

Renewable energy sources are infinite sources of energy. These energy sources are cleaner than fossil fuels, but each comes with its pros and cons.

• What kind of renewable energy do you think is best?

Learn a little more about each type.

It is important to find more forms of renewable energy because most humans currently use nonrenewable energy sources to power everyday items, such as automobiles.

• What would happen if the world were to run out of nonrenewable energy sources, such as petroleum?

Continue to the Got It? section to see if you can tell the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources!