Natural Resources
Material that comes from trees and is used for building, furniture, and many other products.
Wood
Wood that generally comes from trees such as oak, maple, and walnut.
What is hardwood?
A thin, thread-like material that can be made into fabric.
What is fiber?
A synthetic material commonly made using petroleum.
What is plastic?
The "N" in NPK.
What is nitrogen?
A useful material that is produced as a secondary result of making another product.
What is a byproduct?
Wood that generally comes from trees such as pine, spruce, and fir.
What is softwood?
Cotton is an example of a natural resource that can be turned into this
What is fiber?
A plastic made partly or entirely from biological materials rather than only fossil fuels.
What is bioplastic?
The "P" in NPK.
What is phosphorus?
Human activities such as overharvesting, pollution, and land development can cause this to happen to natural resources
What is reduced resource availability?
This material is created by combining wood pieces, fibers, or particles using adhesives
What is composite wood?
These fibers are made primarily from cellulose, a major component of plants
What are cellulosic fibers?
This term describes something that microorganisms can break down naturally.
What is biodegradable?
The "K" in NPK.
What is potassium?
This is wood that has been processed into boards or other building materials
Lumber
Plywood, particleboard, and MDF are examples of this material.
What is composite wood?
Wool and silk belong to this category of fibers.
What are protein-based fibers?
This common bioplastic can be produced using plant sugars or starches, such as those from corn.
What is polylactic acid (PLA)?
These three letters appear on fertilizer labels and tell you the amounts of three major plant nutrients
What is NPK?
Name two ways human activity can affect the availability of natural resources.
What are overuse, pollution, deforestation, habitat destruction, conservation, recycling, etc.?
Explain one major difference between hardwoods and softwoods.
Hardwoods generally come from flowering broadleaf trees, while softwoods generally come from conifers.
Name three natural resources that can be used to make clothing.
What are cotton, wool, silk, flax, hemp, wood/cellulose, etc.?
Give one advantage AND one disadvantage of biodegradable plastics.
Advantages can include reducing persistent waste or using renewable feedstocks; disadvantages can include needing specific composting conditions, higher costs, or not breaking down quickly in all environments.
Name at least three things a producer or gardener should consider when selecting fertilizer.
What are soil-test results, crop/plant needs, NPK analysis, application rate, timing, cost, soil conditions, and environmental impacts?