Which of the following is an exhaustible natural resource?

a) Solar energy

b) Air

c) Petroleum

d) Water

The correct answer is (c) Petroleum

Exhaustible natural resources are those available in limited quantities in nature and can be used up by human activities. They take millions of years to form and cannot be quickly replaced. Examples: coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals, forests, wildlife.

Petroleum is a fossil fuel formed from ancient remains of plants and animals. Because its formation takes geological time, the stock we have is finite; hence it is exhaustible.

Why are the others not correct?

• Solar energy: Comes continuously from the Sun → inexhaustible.
• Air: Vast and naturally replenished by the atmosphere → inexhaustible.
• Water: Part of the water cycle and generally renewable (though it can be scarce locally due to overuse or pollution, it is not classified as “exhaustible” like petroleum).