EDD Remediation

What is "the cause" in an experiment? The part the experimenter changes on purpose at the beginning of the experiment?

• independent variable

• dependent variable

Answer explanation

The independent variable is always at the beginning of the experiment (but not always at the beginning of the sentence!). It's what causes another change, the dependent variable, the happen.

What is "the effect," or the data you measure at the end of the experiment?

• independent variable

• dependent variable

Answer explanation

The dependent variable is what happens at the end of the experiment. It's a change that is caused by something else. It's what is measured at the end of the experiment.

Identify the cause and effect in this scenario:

Grass will grow taller if it is watered and fertilized more.

• cause: the height of the grass

  effect: the amount of fertilizer and water

• cause: the amount of fertilizer and water

  effect: the height of the grass

• cause: grass

  effect: growth

• cause: the investigation

  effect: the amount of fertilizer added

Identify the cause and effect in this scenario:

If you increase the temperature of the water, then the egg will cook faster.

• cause: increasing the water temperature

  effect: the time it takes the egg to cook

• cause: the time it takes the egg to cook

  effect: increasing the water temperature

Answer explanation

The cause is always the independent variable, because it makes something else happen. The effect is always the dependent variable, because it happens after the independent variable happens.

Identify the cause and the effect in this scenario:

An investigation was done to see if keeping the lights on for different amounts of time each day affected the number of eggs the chicken lays.

• cause: the number eggs the chicken lays

  effect: how long the lights were on

• cause: how long the lights were on

  effect: the number eggs the chicken lays

Identify the independent variable (the cause) and the dependent variable (the effect) in this scenario:

If you increase the temperature of the water, then the egg will cook faster.

• independent variable: increasing the water temperature

  dependent variable: the time it takes the egg to cook

• independent variable: the time it takes the egg to cook

  dependent variable: increasing the water temperature

What is the clue word in this scenario that helps you figure out the independent variable is whether Rick ate lunch or not:

The amount of Cheetos Rick can eat depends on whether he ate lunch.

• "depends on"

• "whether"

• "The amount"

Answer explanation

If something depends on something else, then it is dependent. The dependent variable depends on the independent variable.

What is the clue word in this scenario that helps you figure out the independent variable is keeping the lights on at night:

A study was done to see if keeping the lights on at night affected how quickly children fell asleep.

• "a study was done"

• "affected"

• "how quickly"

Answer explanation

Remember that the dependent variable is the effect. So the independent variable would affect the dependent variable.

Identify the independent and dependent variables in this scenario:

An investigation was done to see if keeping the lights on for different amounts of time each day affected the number of eggs the chicken lays.

• independent variable: how long the lights were on

  dependent variable: the number eggs the chicken lays

• independent variable: the number eggs the chicken lays

  dependent variable: how long the lights were on

Identify the independent and dependent variables in this scenario:

Grass will grow taller if it is watered and fertilized more.

• independent variable: the height of the grass

  dependent variable: the amount of fertilizer and water

• independent variable: the investigation

  dependent variable: the amount of fertilizer added

• independent variable: grass

  dependent variable: growth

• independent variable: the amount of fertilizer and water

  dependent variable: the height of the grass