How are renewable resources defined?

Renewable resources are defined as resources that can be replenished naturally over time. This means that they can be restored or regenerated at a pace that allows for continued use, distinguishing them from non-renewable resources, which do not replenish within a human timeframe. Examples of renewable resources include solar energy, wind energy, biomass, and hydroelectric power, all of which are naturally occurring and can be harnessed without depleting the resource itself in the long term.

In contrast, the other choices point to different categories of resources. The concept of resources that cannot be replenished refers to non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels and minerals, which are finite. Resources that can be mined specifically refers to extractive materials like metals or coal, which may also fall into the non-renewable category unless they are part of a sustainable mining practice. Lastly, resources derived from fossil fuels clearly align with non-renewable resources, as fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas take millions of years to form and cannot be replaced once extracted.