Final answer:
Students should ask how long it will take for an energy resource to naturally be replaced on Earth to determine if it is renewable or nonrenewable. Renewable resources are replenished quickly like wind and sunlight, while nonrenewable ones, such as fossil fuels, are used up faster than they can form.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine whether an energy resource is renewable or nonrenewable, the most pertinent question students could ask is: C. How long will it take for the energy resource to naturally be replaced on Earth? Renewable resources can be replaced by natural processes as quickly as humans use them, such as sunlight and wind. In contrast, nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels, which include oil, coal, and natural gas, exist in fixed amounts and are consumed faster than they can be replaced by natural processes.
A natural resource is a material or substance that occurs in nature and can be used by humans. An example of a natural resource is water. Renewable resources include those like solar energy and wind, which are replenished by ongoing natural processes over short human time scales. Nonrenewable resources, like fossil fuels, are depleted as they are consumed and will eventually run out because they take millions of years to form.