Lesson 3: Experimentation and Studies

Experimentation and Studies

Terms and principles to know

​Variables and Constants

A variable is any factor that can have more than one value.

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​An independent variable is the factor you want to test. It's changed by the experimenter in order to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

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​A dependent variable is the factor you observe or measure during an experiment.

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​Constants are factors in an experiment that do not change.

​There are two experimental groups

​The experimental group is used to study how a change in the independent variable affects the dependent variable.

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​The control group contains the same factors as the experimental group, but doesn't change the independent variable

​Different Kinds of Data

​Qualitative Data uses words to describe what is observed.

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​Quantitative Data uses numbers to describe what is observed.

Multiple Choice

________________ data uses numbers to describe something.

• qualitative

• quantitative

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

The ________________ variable in an experiment is changed by the experimenter to see its effects on another kind of variable.

• dependent

• independent

• qualitative

• quantitative