Independent vs. Dependent Variables

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What is an independent variable?

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An independent variable is the factor that is changed or controlled in a scientific experiment to test its effects on the dependent variable.

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What is a dependent variable?

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A dependent variable is the factor that is measured or observed in an experiment, which is affected by changes in the independent variable.

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In an experiment, if you change the amount of sunlight to see how it affects plant growth, what is the independent variable?

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The independent variable is the amount of sunlight.

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In an experiment, if you measure how much a plant grows in response to different amounts of water, what is the dependent variable?

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The dependent variable is the amount the plant grows.

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What is the relationship between independent and dependent variables?

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The independent variable is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

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If a scientist is testing how different fertilizers affect plant growth, what is the independent variable?

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The independent variable is the type or amount of fertilizer used.

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If you are studying how temperature affects the rate of a chemical reaction, what is the independent variable?

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The independent variable is the temperature.

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In an experiment, if you want to see how the number of hours studied affects test scores, what is the independent variable?

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The independent variable is the number of hours studied.

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What is a controlled variable?

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A controlled variable is a factor that is kept constant throughout an experiment to ensure that the results are valid.

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Why is it important to identify independent and dependent variables in an experiment?

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Identifying these variables helps to clarify the purpose of the experiment and ensures that the results can be accurately interpreted.