Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography Practice Exam

The transformation of natural resources is primarily associated with secondary economic activities. This sector of the economy takes raw materials obtained from the primary sector and processes, manufactures, or assembles them into finished goods. For example, when timber (a natural resource) is transformed into furniture or when crude oil is refined into gasoline, these activities illustrate secondary economic processes. This sector is fundamental for adding value to natural resources, thereby creating products that can be sold and used in everyday life.

In contrast, primary economic activities are focused on the extraction of raw materials from nature, such as agriculture, mining, and fishing. Tertiary economic activities involve services rather than goods production, like retail and education. Quaternary economic activities are centered around knowledge-based services, including information technology, research, and development. These distinctions emphasize the unique role of the secondary sector in transforming resources into usable commodities.