The abiotic factors that control human population include

Step 1: Analyze the question We need the abiotic factors that control (limit) human population. "Abiotic" means non-living components of the environment, such as temperature, rainfall, wind, light, soil, floods, earthquakes and other natural physical factors.

Step 2: Explain the concept

• Biotic factors are living things: disease-causing organisms (pathogens), predators, parasites, competition, and food (famine arises from food shortage, which is tied to living crops and animals).
• Abiotic factors are non-living: climate, water, space, natural disasters, etc.

Step 3: Check each option

• A. Disease and famine: Disease is caused by living organisms (biotic), and famine relates to food supply (biotic). Not correct.
• B. Space and rainfall: Rainfall is abiotic and space can be considered a physical factor, but this is not a typical textbook pairing for population control.
• C. Flooding and earthquake: Both are non-living, natural physical events that can kill large numbers of people and so reduce population. Both are purely abiotic.
• D. Temperature and disease: Temperature is abiotic, but disease is biotic. Mixed, so incorrect.

Step 4: Identify the answer The only option in which both factors are clearly abiotic and act to control human population is C. flooding and earthquake.

(Note: B is the closest distractor, since rainfall is abiotic. But the intended answer focuses on natural disasters that directly cause population loss.)

Tip: In "abiotic vs biotic" questions, check each word in the pair. If one item involves a living organism (disease, predators, parasites, food), the option is out. Both items must be non-living.