A company manufactures desks and chairs. Metal parts are made using iron from iron ore. Wooden parts are made using timber from managed plantations.
The table shows annual data from the company's suppliers.
| Resource | Amount extracted or harvested each year in tonnes | Amount naturally formed or regrown each year in tonnes |
|---|---|---|
| Iron ore | 60 000 | less than 1 |
| Plantation timber | 32 000 | 38 000 |
Explain which resource in the table is finite and which is renewable. Use data from the table.
The chairs require 90 tonnes of upholstery each year. The company can obtain 72 tonnes of wool each year without increasing the number of sheep.
Producing 1 tonne of wool uses 24 GJ of energy. The company estimates that producing 1 tonne of a suitable synthetic replacement would use 46 GJ of energy.
Suggest a suitable synthetic fibre and explain why using enough of this fibre to cover the shortfall could help the company use resources sustainably but would not prove that the chairs are more sustainable. Use data in your answer.
87 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Chemistry 10.1 Using the Earth's resources and obtaining potable water, covering 10.1.1 Using the Earth's resources and sustainable development, 10.1.2 Potable water, 10.1.3 Waste water treatment, and 10.1.4 Alternative methods of extracting metals. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.