Independent, Dependent, and Control Variables

Javier and his twin sister both have the same science exam. Javier sleeps for 9 hours the night before the exam and his sister sleeps for 6 hours. After they take the test, they both compare their test grades. What is the dependent variable?

• The test grades

• The number of hours of sleep they had

• The type of test

Group A decides to exercise for a month. Group B decides not to exercise during the same month. Afterward, they measure the amount of weight that each group lost. what is the independent variable?

• How much weight each group lost

• The type of exercise

• If group exercises or not

Group A decides to exercise for a month. Group B decides not to exercise during the same month. Afterward, they measure the amount of weight that each group lost. what is the dependent variable?

• If a group exercises or not

• How much weight each group lost

• The type of exercise

Ben makes five paper helicopters with different wing lengths. He drops them the same way from a height of two meters for five trials each. He records the amount of time it takes for each helicopter to fall to the ground.

What is the independent variable?

• Dropping the same way

• Wing Length

• Amount of time it takes the helicopter to hit the floor

• Dropping from the same height

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Ben makes five paper helicopters with different wing lengths. He drops them the same way from a height of two meters for five trials each. He records the amount of time it takes for each helicopter to fall to the ground. What is the dependent variable?

• Dropping the same way

• Wing Length

• Amount of time it takes the helicopter to hit the floor

• Dropping from the same height

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 distance a person kicks a soccer ball effect how well they will do on their math test.  What is the dependent variable?

• How far they kick the soccer ball

• who the person is

• how well they do on the math test

• Type of soccer ball.

Which variable depends on what is done at the beginning of an experiment?

• Dependent

• Independent

• Control

• Following

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

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

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1