Independent & Dependent Variables

When experimenting with the growth of a plant, a scientist uses three (of the same type of) plants, two different fertilizers, equal light, and equal water. What type of variable is the fertilizer?

• Dependent
• Independent
• Control
• Compound

Research Question: Does the type of gasoline put in a car effect how fast the car can drive. What is the independent variable?

• Type of gasoline
• which car the gas is put into
• how fast the car can drive
• how much gas is put into the car

What would the INDEPENDENT variable be in an experiment testing which types of paper airplane goes furthest?

• the paper used
• the type of paper airplane
• the distance of each plane's flight
• how hard the plane is thrown

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

An experiment is performed on plants to see how different liquids affect plant growth. Each plant in the experiment is given a different liquid; water, apple juice, or milk. Each plant has the same amount of soil, sunlight, and listens to the same music. In this investigation, the independent variable is ...

• The type of plant
• The amount of sunlight
• The type of music
• The type of liquid

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Ms. S set up an experiment to see how the mass of a ball affects the distance it rolls off a ramp. What is the dependent variable?

• Distance traveled by the ball
• Height of the ramp
• Mass of the ball
• Where the experiment took place.

Tags

CCSS.6.EE.C.9

Ms. S set up an experiment to see how the mass of a ball affects the distance it rolls off a ramp. Identify the independent variable.

• Distance traveled by the ball
• Height of the ramp
• Mass of the ball
• Who set up the experiment (Ms. S, etc)

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Tiffany was investing how fast it took Hayden to react to different sounds. Identify the independent variable.

• How fast Hayden reacted
• different sounds
• types of music
• Hayden

Mr. S normally uses praise as a reward to train his dog. He wants to know the best way to train his dog, so he sets up an experiment to find out if there is a better way to get his dog to respond to commands. What is his dependent variable?

• Type of reward
• Praise
• Type of dog
• Amount of time the dog follows commands

The independent variable is the ONE thing you _____.

• change
• keep the same
• experiment with
• investigate

Tags

CCSS.6.EE.C.9

 In a controlled experiment, the variable that is changed to test the hypothesis is called the –

• Controlled Variable
• Responsive Variable
• Dependent Variable
• Independent Variable