Science variables

Mr. S normally uses praise as a reward to train his dog. He wants to know the best way to train his dog, so he sets up an experiment to find out if there is a better way to get his dog to respond to commands. What is his independent variable?

• Type of reward
• Praise
• Type of dog
• Amount of time the dog follows commands

Mr. S normally uses praise as a reward to train his dog. He wants to know the best way to train his dog, so he sets up an experiment to find out if there is a better way to get his dog to respond to commands. What is his dependent variable?

• Type of reward
• Praise
• Type of dog
• Amount of time the dog follows commands

The independent variable is the ONE thing you _____.

• change
• keep the same
• experiment with
• investigate

A student wants to test the effects of type of exercise on heart rate.  What is the dependent variable?

• heart rate
• type of exercise
• amount of exercise
• time of day exercise occurs

How many variables can be tested in a controlled experiment?

• one
• two
• three
• as many as possible

What step does every scientific experiment begin with?

• hypothesis
• question/problem
• procedures
• conclusion

Why do we want to test one variable at a time?

• Because it is hard to setup a data table with more
• To know what is causing the changes
• It is what has always been done
• No one really knows

A student 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

Mr. S set up an experiment to see how the mass of a ball affects the distance it rolls off a ramp. Identify the independent variable.

• Distance traveled by the ball
• Height of the ramp
• Mass of the ball

Which of these is a qualitative observation?

• The boy is 5 feet tall.
• There are six birds in the tree.
• The birds are tiny.
• There are more blue birds than black birds.