Identifying Independent and Dependent Variables

Kreedence wants to know if birds prefer to eat in one place over another. She makes three feeders out of 2-liter bottles and paints all of them red. She fills each of the feeders with the same amount of mixed birdseed, and plans to keep the feeders out for 10 days before measuring how much seed is eaten from each feeder. She puts each of the feeders in her back yard: one feeder in a large dead tree, another feeder she sits on the dog house, and the last she sits in a small bushy tree.
What is the dependent variable?

• Length of the birdfeeders

• Amount of time feeders are outside

• Amount of seed eaten

• Location the feeders are put in.

Does the type of shoe worn during a 30 meter dash affect the speed of the runner?

• independent

• dependent

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

Does deflating a ball affect a its ability to bounce?

• independent

• dependent

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

The graph shows the distance traveled by Ms. Luce's family on a road trip. They will travel 25 miles each hour. Which statement is true about the situation?

• the independent variable is distance

• the independent variable is d=25 t

• the dependent variable is time

• the dependent variable is distance

The dependent variable...

• is affected by the independent variable

• is in charge

• changes the independent variable

• isn't affected by the independent variable

The variable that is manipulated or controlled by the researcher, and its effects are measured in the experiment, is known as

• Dependent Variable

• Control

• Independent Variable

• Constant

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

On a graph, which axis shows the dependent variable?

• x-axis

• y-axis

• neither

• it changes

On a graph, which axis shows the independent variable?

• x-axis

• y-axis

• neither

• it changes

Asher is planning an experiment to find out how the height from which he drops a ball affects how high the ball bounces. The dependent variable is the _____.

• Diameter of the ball

• Force acting on the ball

• Height that the ball bounces

• Height from which the ball is dropped

What you measure or observe in an experiment.

• constant variable

• controlled variable

• dependent variable

• independent variable

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2