Abiotic Factors

Name:___________________________
What are abiotic factors?
o “a” means __________ or without
o “biotic” means ________________
o These are the nonliving things in an organism’s _____________________
o Essential to the survival of organisms

Air
o ______________________-air that surrounds Earth

Made up of the following:

______% Nitrogen

______% Oxygen

______% Argon

______% Carbon Dioxide

Tiny amounts of other elements
o Carbon dioxide and oxygen

Part of the processes of photosynthesis and respiration

Plants take in ____________________ from the atmosphere
o They produce oxygen in the process of __________________

Most other organisms take in ________________ from the atmosphere
o They produce ____________________ during cellular respiration

Water
o Essential to life on Earth

All organisms need water

Plants need it for ___________________ and to avoid _____________

Animals need it to avoid __________________
o Most organisms are ____________% water

Soil
o Mixture of several things:

__________ and rock particles

Remains of _______________________

________________

________________
o Topmost layer of Earth’s _________________

Supports ________________________
o Contains life (bacteria, fungi, insects, worms)

Sunlight
o Essential for photosynthesis
o Helps keep temperatures in range that _____________________________
o Responsible for weather on earth

Climate
o NOT WEATHER!!!

Climate refers to _____________________________

Includes temperature, wind, and precipitation
o All are caused by _____________________
o Precipitation

________________________________

Part of The Water Cycle
o Wind

Results from sunlight heating ___________________

Warm air ___________, cool air ____________
o The cool air coming back down to the surface causes ________________
o Temperature

Result of _____________ striking the Earth’s surface


Most organisms can survive from ______________________________________
___________________ determines how much light strikes the surface

At the ____________, sunlight is direct. At the __________, it is spread over a
wider area (Flashlight demo)

___________________ also affects temperature

There are fewer air molecules higher in the atmosphere, so the temperature is
_______________ (colder)

It is typically warmer nearer the bottom of mountain than the top

Cycles in Nature
o Water cycle

____________________-water turns to water vapor and rises (think of boiling water on
a stove)

_____________________-Plants release water into atmosphere

_____________________-Water vapor droplets come together to form clouds

_____________________-Clouds get too heavy, and liquid water falls to surface

_____________________-Water runs along, and either goes into the ground or into
lakes. rivers, streams, oceans, etc.

____________________-Water that is located beneath Earth’s surface
o Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen is released into the ground through 2 processes

___________ or dead organisms

____________ (feces and urine) from organisms

Nitrogen fixation-conversion of nitrogen to ________________ (fertilizers)

Plants use the nitrogen to _______________________

Animals get the nitrogen by ____________________________

Plants and animals die and decay, releasing the nitrogen back into the soil

The cycle repeats
o Carbon Cycle

Carbon is released to the atmosphere by:

_____________________________

Burning _____________________ (coal, oil, etc.) which are remains of dead
organisms


Dead and dying organisms being ____________________
Carbon enters the __________________ portion of Earth by plants taking it in during
photosynthesis