Identify Variables

An experiment is performed on plants to see how different liquids affect plant growth. Each plant in the experiment is given a different liquid; water, apple juice, or milk. Each plant has the same amount of soil, sunlight, and listens to the same music. In this investigation, the independent variable is ...

• The type of plant
• The amount of sunlight
• The type of music
• The type of liquid

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

Lauren is convinced that book/movie combinations are better if you have read the book before watching the movie. Lauren's friend, Alyssa, thinks that movies are just as good even if you don't read the book. They got 40 of their classmates to help them solve their debate. 20 classmates read the book Divergent and 20 more classmates viewed the movie without reading the book. All participants went to see the movie on Friday at 6 p.m. They had their classmates do a survey (1-4 stars). Then, Alyssa and Lauren averaged the number of stars for both groups.
What is the independent variable?

• Watching the movie
• Reading the book
• Taking the survey

What is the dependent variable in the following experiment: Does the amount of coffee students drink increase their test scores?

• Same test

• Amount of coffee

• Test scores

• Test scores without drinking coffee

What needs to be constant in the following experiment: Does the amount of coffee students drink increase their test scores?

• Same test

• Amount of coffee

• Test scores

• Test scores without drinking coffee

An experiment is being done to determine how light affects the growth of small zinnia plants. One plant is placed in full sunlight, the second in a shaded area, the third in an unlit closet. The hypothesis of this experiment could be:

• Plants grow differently under different conditions.
• Zinnia plants in direct sunlight grow taller than zinnia plants in little or no sunlight.
• Many things, including sunlight, affect the growth of a plant.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

When experimenting with plants to see if they grow better with or without fertilizer, a scientist uses six bean plants and one type of fertilizer. What type of variable is the fertilizer?

• Dependent
• Independent
• Control
• Compound

Tags

CCSS.7.EE.A.2

CCSS.HSA.SSE.A.2

What would the INDEPENDENT variable be in an experiment testing which  paper airplane design goes furthest?

• the paper used
• the paper airplane design
• the distance of each plane's flight
• how hard the plane is thrown

Tags

CCSS.6.EE.A.2C

An experiment for a new asthma medication was set up into two groups. Group one was given the new drug for asthma, while group 2 was given a sugar pill. The sugar pill serves as a 

• control
• dependent variable 
• experimental variable
• constant

The variable that is being measured

• independent variable
• dependent variable
• control variable