Variables in Experiments

What is the independent variable in an experiment?

• The thing we measure

• The thing we change or test

• The thing we keep the same

• The result we are looking for

What is the dependent variable in an experiment?

• The thing we keep the same

• The thing we change or test

• The thing we measure or see how it changes

• The thing that affects the independent variable

What are control variables in an experiment?

• Things we change to see what happens

• Things we measure to see the results

• Things we keep the same during the experiment

• Things that show the result of the experiment

In an experiment testing how different amounts of light affect plant growth, what is the independent variable?

• How the plant grows

• The type of plant

• How much light the plant gets

• The type of soil

In the same experiment, what is the dependent variable?

• The type of plant

• How much light the plant gets

• The type of soil

• How tall the plant grows

In an experiment testing different fertilizers on plant growth, which thing should we keep the same?

• The kind of fertilizer

• The amount of fertilizer used

• How much water the plant gets

• The type of plant

If we are testing how different temperatures affect how fast a chemical changes, what is the independent variable?

• How fast the chemical changes

• The kind of chemical

• The temperature

• The amount of chemical

Which of these is NOT something we control in an experiment?

• The material used

• The amount of the thing we change

• How long the experiment lasts

• The time of day the experiment happens

If we are studying how different amounts of sleep affect how well someone does on a test, what is the dependent variable?

• The amount of sleep

• How well they do on the test

• The type of test

• The person's age

In a study about how different exercises affect weight loss, what is the independent variable?

• How much weight is lost

• The type of exercise

• What the person eats

• How long the study lasts