AP Biology Experimental Design

A scientist hypothesizes that the temperature at which an alligator's egg is incubated will determine whether the alligator will be male or female. The independent variable is

• the male alligators

• the incubator

• the gender of the alligator

• the temperature

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

The parts of the experiment that must be kept the same.

• Constants

• Independent variable

• Dependent variable

• Conclusion

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Maya designed an experiment to answer the following question: How does the amount of water given to a lima bean seed affect how tall it grows? In this experiment, what variable should Maya CHANGE?

• the amount of water

• the kind of plant

• the type of soil

• the amount of sunlight it gets

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Esther became interested in insulation while her parent’s new house was being built. She decided to determine which insulation transferred the least heat. She filled each of 5 jars half-full with water. She sealed each jar with a plastic lid.Then she wrapped each jar with a different kind of insulation. She put the jars outside in the direct sunlight. Later, she measured the temperature of the water in each jar. What is the independent variable?

• The type of insulation

• The temperature of the water

• Number of houses

• The amount of sunlight

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

A student did an experiment to test how effective different antibiotics are. She treated one paper disk with water, and three others with different antibiotics. Each was placed on a dish where bacteria could grow.

• Dependent

• Disks with antibiotics

• Experimental Group

• The bacterial growth

• Independent Variable

• The size of the paper disks

• Control Group

• The type of antibiotic

• Constant Variable

• The disk with water

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

A scientist wants to study the effectiveness of a new pesticide on cockroaches. The scientist divides the cockroaches into 2 groups. He gives each group the same amount of food and water and places them in the same type of tank. After 2 hours, the scientist counts how many cockroaches are still living in each group. What is the dependent variable?

• the number of cockroaches that are still alive after 2 hours

• the type of tank

• the pesticide

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Pea plant clones are giving different amounts of water for a three-week period. The first pea plant receives 400 milliliters a day. The second pea plant receives 200 milliliters a day. The third pea plant receives 100 milliliters a day. The fourth pea plant does not receive any extra water; the plant only receives natural ways of receiving water. The heights of the pea plants are recorded daily. What are the variables and control group?

• Pea plant heights

• Independent Variable

• Amount of water given

• Dependent Variable

• Fourth pea plant

• Control Group

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Bob wants to see if fertilizer will help his plants grow taller. What is the independent variable in Bob’s experiment and what is the dependent variable in Bob's experiment?

• Dependent

• Plant growth time

• Dependent

• Y-axis of graph

• Independent

• Fertilizer vs. no fertilizer

• Independent

• X-axis of graph

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Match the following experimental variables

• Group in an experiment that receives the treatment

• Hypothesis

• Variable that is measured or observed in an experiment

• Depenent variable

• Group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment

• Control group

• Predicted explanation for a phenomenon

• Independent variable

• Variable that is manipulated in an experiment

• Experimental group

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Bob wants to see if fertilizer will help his plants grow taller. What is the independent variable in Bob’s experiment and what is the dependent variable in Bob's experiment?

• Dependent

• Plant growth time

• Independent

• Y-axis of graph

• Dependent

• Fertilizer vs. no fertilizer

• Independent

• X-axis of graph

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5