engineering

Natural resources engineering

Natural resources engineering is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Natural resources engineering rather than just read about it. In short: Natural Resources Engineering, the sixth Abet accredited environmental engineering program in the United States, is a subset of environmental engineering that applies various branches of science in order to create new technology that aims to protect, maintain, and establish sustainable natural resources. Specifically, natural resources engineers are concerned with applying engineering concepts and solutions to preva…

Key takeaways

Natural resources engineering belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Natural resources engineering to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Natural resources engineering from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Natural Resources Engineering, the sixth Abet accredited environmental engineering program in the United States, is a subset of environmental engineering that applies various branches of science in order to create new technology that aims to protect, maintain, and establish sustainable natural resources. Specifically, natural resources engineers are concerned with applying engineering concepts and solutions to prevalent environmental issues. Common natural resources this discipline of engineering works closely with include both living resources such as plants and animals as well as non-living resources such as renewable energy, land, soils, and water. Natural resource engineering also involves researching and evaluating natural and societal forces. The hydrological cycle is the main component of natural forces and the desires of other people attribute to societal forces. Some historical examples of applications of natural resources engineering include the Roman aqueducts and the Hoover Dam. Natural resource engineering degrees require a basic understanding of core engineering classes including calculus, physics, chemistry, and engineering mechanics, as well as additional courses with a stronger focus on applications of natural resources in environmental systems. These specific courses include soil and water engineering, modeling of biological and physical systems, properties of biological materials, and systems optimization. The overall purpose of natural resource engineering is mainly categorized as either resource development, environmental management or both. Natural resource engineers often work in a vast variety of environments ranging from urban to rural. Most natural resource engineers can be found working for groups who strive to solve current and future environmental issues such as environmental consulting firms and government agencies.

History Natural resources engineering has always existed as an extension of biological engineering, but demand for such practices continue to increase along with increasing urbanization. The development of basic farming techniques, irrigation, and basic wells were a significant step in natural resources engineering for the Human race. Important historical examples of natural resources engineering include the Roman aqueducts and the Hoover Dam. Natural resource engineering is of vital importance in developing regions to address issues such as access to clean drinking water as well as sanitation and sustainable food production. In 1981 Environmental Resource Engineering became the 6th Abet Accredited environmental engineering program in the U.S. Natural resources engineering will be an important factor in how the natural environment will respond to rising pressure on environmental and agricultural resources.

Concepts and areas of research and development The discipline of Natural Resource engineering specifically concentrates on natural resources. Natural resources are "industrial materials and capacities (such as mineral deposits and water power) supplied by nature" and sometimes legally are classified by their ability to be used by humans to meet their demands. Natural resources can be both living and non-living natural elements and include fossil fuels, plants, animals, minerals, sediment, and bodies of water. Areas of research and development in natural resources engineering concerning the hydro-logical cycle include: erosion control, flood control, water quality renovation and management, irrigation, drainage, bio-remediation, air quality, watershed-stream assessment, and ecological engineering. This discipline of engineering also involves investigating different natural and societal forces on the environment. The main natural force researched by natural resources engineers is the hydro-logical cycle. This cycle is concerned with how water transitions through the environment through the processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and transpiration. This cycle is a concern when looking at prevalent environmental issues on the earth, and therefore is a major concern for natural resource engineers. The main societal force that concerns natural resource engineers is the exploitation of natural resources by humans. This force concerns natural resource engineers because it threatens to deplete or harm many sources of natural resources. With this concentration on natural resources and natural and societal impact, natural resource engineers are constantly searching for ways to apply engineering concepts to create developments that aim to protect, maintain, and establish sustainable sources of natural resources. Some current areas of research and developments include: finding ways to maximize the utilization of natural resources in fuel with minimum waste, developing infrastructure and equipment with the intent to provide protection for the overall environment and sources of natural resources, finding solutions to current environmental issues that directly impacted sources of natural resources such as soil erosion, sediment loss, flooding, and pollution, seeking efficient ways to manage natural resources so they will not be depleted, and finding ways to conserve and allocate resources efficiently as the population increases dramatically.

Courses To obtain a degree in natural resource engineering, a solid engineering background is required, as well as specific technical knowledge specific to natural resources and their role in our environment. Most degree programs within this specific discipline are partnered within larger disciplines of engineering such as environmental engineering, biological engineering, or agricultural engineering.

Standard engineering courses Mathematics (Calculus, differential equations, statistics) Physics Chemistry Engineering Mechanics (Statics, Dynamics, Solids Mechanics) Fluid Mechanics Thermodynamics

Natural resources engineering specific course topics Materials, instrumentation, and measurement classes specific to biological systems Systems optimization Modeling and management of biological and physical systems Soil, water, conservation, and nutrient management engineering

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Natural resources engineering

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Natural resources engineering claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Natural resources engineering before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Natural resources engineering ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Natural resources engineering

In research: Natural resources engineering appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Natural resources engineering in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Natural resources engineering is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Environmental engineering, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Natural resources engineering outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Natural resources engineering in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Natural resources engineering means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Natural resources engineering out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Natural resources engineering in simple terms?

Why does Natural resources engineering matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Natural resources engineering?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Natural resources engineering.