Which term refers to non-living things?

• A. Benign
• B. Abortive
• C. Abrasion
• D. Abiotic

Answer: (D)

Non-living elements of an environment are described as abiotic. Abiotic refers to factors like temperature, humidity, pH, sunlight, air, water, minerals—things that are not alive but still shape health and ecological processes. The other terms don’t describe non-living things: benign means harmless, abortive means failing to achieve a result, and abrasion is a scraping wear on a surface. So abiotic is the term that specifically denotes non-living components.