Which of the following species of wood are classified as softwood?

Pine and spruce are commonly classified as softwoods, primarily due to the type of tree they originate from. Softwoods come from coniferous trees, which have needle-like leaves and typically produce cones. These trees grow faster and are generally easier to work with than hardwoods, which come from deciduous trees.

In this context, spruce is especially notable because it is widely used in construction and for making paper, as it has a good strength-to-weight ratio. The cellular structure of softwoods like spruce tends to give them certain advantages, such as being lighter and more flexible than hardwoods, making them suitable for various applications in both construction and furniture-making.

Although options like oak and maple are indeed types of wood, they are classified as hardwoods because they come from trees that lose their leaves annually. This is an important distinction that helps in understanding different types of wood, their applications, and their characteristics.