What term describes non-living environmental influences such as temperature and light that shape organisms' life processes?

• A. Physical Factor
• B. Primary Consumer
• C. Nutrient
• D. Scientific Name

Answer: (A)

Non-living environmental influences that shape organisms’ life processes are physical factors, a category of abiotic factors. Temperature and light are classic examples because they directly affect how organisms grow, develop, and function. Temperature influences enzyme activity and metabolic rate—too hot or too cold can slow or speed processes and even limit survival. Light drives photosynthesis in plants and governs circadian rhythms and seasonal behaviors in many organisms. The term physical factor captures these environmental conditions that exist outside living things and shape their biology. The other terms refer to different ideas: a primary consumer is a living organism in a food chain, a nutrient is a chemical needed for growth, and a scientific name is the formal naming of a species.