question_answer 7)

On what basis would you classify energy sources as (a) renewable and nonrenewable?         (b) exhaustible and inexhaustible? Are the options given in (a) and (b) the same?  

Answer:

(a) Energy sources can be classified as renewable and nonrenewable on the following basis: (i) Quantity available in nature (ii) Mode of replenishment (iii) Rate of consumption (b) Energy source can be classified as exhaustible and inexhaustible sources of energy on the basis of the rate of consumption and replenishment: If the rate of consumption is higher than the rate of replenishment, then the source of energy is exhaustible. If the rate of consumption is lower than the rate of replenishment, then the source of energy is inexhaustible. The options given in (a) and (b) are essentially the same.