Which of the following is an example of a non-renewable resource?

Coal is classified as a non-renewable resource because it forms over millions of years from the remains of ancient plants and animals buried under layers of earth. The process of its formation is incredibly slow, meaning that once coal reserves are depleted, they cannot be replenished on a human timescale. In contrast, resources such as wind, hydropower, and solar energy are renewable because they are replenished naturally and can be harnessed indefinitely without depleting the source. Wind energy is created by the Earth's atmospheric processes, hydropower relies on the water cycle, and solar energy is generated from sunlight, all of which are continuously available. Thus, coal’s finite nature categorizes it distinctly as a non-renewable resource.