1. Non-renewable resources

2. Non-renewable resources can also be used as a source to produce electricity • Most non-renewable resources are made from fossil fuels • Fossil fuels take millions of years to form and are therefore NOT easily replaced

3. Fossil fuels are made from parts of animals and plants after they have decayed • We will learn about three types of non-renewable resources

4. Nuclear Energy • Nuclear energy is produced from the breaking down of an atom (the smallest particle of matter) • The most common material used is uranium • Canadian scientists have developed a special type of nuclear reactor called the CANDU reactor

5. The CANDU reactor converts energy given off from the breakdown of matter into heat to convert water to steam • The steam is used to spin turbines (generators) to create electricity

6. Cost of uranium is cheap, nuclear power plants do not produce air pollution • Saskatchewan has one of the largest reserves of uranium, however we do not currently have a power plant • Power plants are expensive to build and the waste of a power plant is radioactive

7. Coal • Almost half of the world’s electricity comes from burning coal • Coal is burned to heat water into steam. The steam is used to spin generators to produce electricity • Using coal is relativity cheap and there are other products of using coal such as fertilizers, paints and plastics

8. Some negative aspects of using coal is that mining coal is dangerous and harmful to the environment • Burning coal is harmful to the environment • Coal is also non-renewable, which means that eventually it will get used up

9. Natural Gas • Natural gas is mostly methane, a flammable gas that can be extracted underground • Natural gas is very clean burning and has little air pollution given off • Natural gas is burned to create steam, which spins a generator to produce electricity

10. However natural gas can also be used to cook food, heat water, etc • Mining natural gas also disrupts the environment and there is the risk of an explosion