5.16 Materials Humans Use

Difficulty Level: At Grade | Created by: CK-12

Last Modified: Aug 02, 2016

lesson content

What resources are in those electronics?

Everyone may realize that we use resources like trees, copper, water, and gemstones, but how many of us realize the tremendous variety of elements we need to make a single electronic device? A tablet computer with a touch screen contains many common chemical elements and a variety of rare earth elements.

Common Materials We Use From The Earth

People depend on natural resources for just about everything that keeps us fed and sheltered, as well as for the things that keep us entertained. Every person in the United States uses about 20,000 kilograms (40,000 pounds) of minerals every year for a wide range of products, such as cell phones, TVs, jewelry, and cars. Table below shows some common objects, the materials they are made from, and whether they are renewable or non-renewable.

Common Objects We Use From the Earth
Common Object	Natural Resources Used	Are These Resources Renewable or Non-Renewable?
Cars	15 different metals, such as iron, lead, and chromium to make the body.	Non-renewable
Jewelry	Precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. Gems like diamonds, rubies, emeralds, turquoise.	Non-renewable
Electronic Appliances (TV's, computers, DVD players, cell phones, etc.)	Many different metals, like copper, mercury, gold.	Non-renewable
Clothing	Soil to grow fibers such as cotton. Sunlight for the plants to grow. Animals for fur and leather.	Renewable
Food	Soil to grow plants. Wildlife and agricultural animals.	Renewable
Bottled Water	Water from streams or springs. Petroleum products to make plastic bottles.	Non-renewable and Renewable
Gasoline	Petroleum drilled from wells.	Non-renewable
Household Electricity	Coal, natural gas, solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power.	Non-renewable and Renewable
Paper	Trees; Sunlight Soil.	Renewable
Houses	Trees for timber. Rocks and minerals for construction materials, for example, granite, gravel, sand.	Non-renewable and Renewable

Summary

Many objects, such as a car, contain many types of resources.
Resources may be renewable or non-renewable, and an object may contain some of each.
Rare earth elements and other unusual materials are used in some electronic devices.