Which term describes energy that can be replenished in a relatively short time?

• A. Renewable resource
• B. Sustainable resource
• C. Infinite resource
• D. Nonrenewable resource

Answer: (A)

Energy that can be replenished in a relatively short time is described by renewable resources. These are energy sources that naturally replenish quickly enough to be used repeatedly over human timescales, such as sunlight, wind, and flowing water. Because they are continually renewed by natural processes, they don’t run out within the timeframe we care about for planning and use.

Nonrenewable resources, like fossil fuels, take millions of years to form, so they aren’t replenished on any practical human timescale. Infinite resource isn’t a standard label for energy categories, even though some renewables (like the sun) appear inexhaustible on human timescales. Sustainable resource is a broader idea about using resources in a way that meets present needs without compromising future availability, and while renewable resources are often used sustainably, the term that directly answers the question about rapid replenishment is renewable resource.