Independent and Dependent Variables

Research Question: Does the type of gasoline put in a car effect how fast the car can drive. What is the independent variable?

• Type of gasoline
• which car the gas is put into
• how fast the car can drive
• how much gas is put into the car

Mr. S. sets 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
• weight of the ball

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Research question: does the distance a person kicks a soccer ball effect how well they will do on their math test.  What is the dependent variable?

• How far they kick the soccer ball
• who the person is
• how well they do on the math test
• Type of soccer ball.

What is the DEPENDENT variable (effect) in this experiment?

"Does eating breakfast improve test scores?"

• eating breakfast or not

• the grade you got on the test

• what time you get up in the morning

• how tasty the breakfast is

You are testing how the amount you water a plant affects its growth. What would be the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE in this experiment.

• They type of pot you put the plants in.

• The amount you water each plant.

• The amount of sunlight the plants get.

• The amount the plant grows.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Mr. Pransky wants to see how different surfaces affect how high a tennis ball can bounce. What is the independent variable?

• the different surfaces

• using the same ball

• how high they bounce

A student wants to test the hypothesis of "If salt is added to water then the boiling point of water will decrease (go down)." What is the independent variable?

• Whether salt is added or not

• Boiling Point

• Amount of water

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

If you were testing the time it took for objects of different sizes to reach the ground after being dropped from 30 feet in the air, which of these would be the DEPENDENT VARIABLE?

• The time it takes for each object to hit the ground.

• The size of each object.

• The type of object you use.

• The height you drop the object from

Steve wanted to see if the type of fertilizer made sunflowers grow larger. What is the independent variable 

• Type of fertilizer
• Size of sunflower
• type of sun flower

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1