Which term best describes the nonliving components of an environment?

The term that best describes the nonliving components of an environment is abiotic factors. Abiotic factors refer to the physical and chemical elements such as sunlight, temperature, water, soil, and atmospheric gases that influence living organisms and ecosystems. These components play a crucial role in shaping the environment and determining the types of organisms that can thrive in a particular habitat.

In contrast, biotic factors include all the living components within an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Autotrophs and producers specifically refer to organisms that can produce their own food, typically through photosynthesis, like plants and some algae. While autotrophs and producers are vital to ecosystem functioning, they are not nonliving components. Understanding the distinction between abiotic and biotic factors is key to grasping how ecosystems operate as a whole.