Independent Dependent Variables

This variable in an experiment is the one being deliberately changed by the scientist. 

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• data

• control group

When experimenting with the growth of a plant, a scientist uses three (of the same type of) plants, two different fertilizers, equal light, and equal water. What type of variable is the fertilizer?

• Dependent

• Independent

• Control

• Compound

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Which variable depends on what is done at the beginning of an experiment?

• Dependent

• Independent

• Control

• Following

Ruthie has a pet goldfish. After several months the goldfish quits growing. Ruthie’s Mom told her the goldfish might have stopped growing because the tank is too small. Ruthie measures the size of her goldfish in its current tank, and then puts the goldfish in a larger tank. After 2 months the goldfish is now 1cm longer. What is the Independent Variable?

• Length of the Goldfish

• Color of the Goldfish

• Size of the fish tank

• 2 months

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Mark notices he has dropped calls on his cell phone when he walks into his bedroom. His friend told him to try and wrap aluminum foil around his phone to get better signal. Mark talks on the phone 3 times while walking into his bedroom and drops 2 of the 3 calls. He wraps his phone in aluminum foil and talks on the phone 3 more times while walking into his bedroom. With the aluminum foil on his phone he only drops 1 phone call.

• Number of dropped calls

• Control

• 3 calls made without aluminum foil.

• Dependent Variable

• Wrapping the phones in foil

• Independant Variable

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

Heidi is a chocolate lover and eats chocolate daily. She has a bad break-out and her friend told her eating chocolate causes pimples. Heidi continues to eat chocolate every day for 2 weeks and counts the number of pimples she has on her face. The following 2 weeks she doesn’t eat any chocolate and counts the number of pimples on her face. What is the Independent Variable?

• 2 weeks NOT eating chocolate

• 2 weeks eating chocolate

• Number of pimples

• How much sleep Heidi gets.

Heidi is a chocolate lover and eats chocolate daily. She has a bad break-out and her friend told her eating chocolate causes pimples. Heidi continues to eat chocolate every day for 2 weeks and counts the number of pimples she has on her face. The following 2 weeks she doesn’t eat any chocolate and counts the number of pimples on her face.

What is the Independent Variable?

• 2 weeks NOT eating chocolate

• 2 weeks eating chocolate

• Number of pimples

• How much sleep Heidi gets.

What is the independent variable in an experiment where Nakia investigates the effect of temperature on the solubility of sugar in water?

• The amount of sugar

• The temperature of the water

• The solubility of sugar

• The type of water used

Answer explanation

The temperature of the water because it is being changed to observe its effect on the solubility of sugar in water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Ruthie has a pet goldfish. After several months the goldfish quits growing. Ruthie’s Mom told her the goldfish might have stopped growing because the tank is too small. Ruthie measures the size of her goldfish in its current tank, and then puts the goldfish in a larger tank. After 2 months the goldfish is now 1cm longer.

What is the Independent Variable?

• Length of the Goldfish

• Color of the Goldfish

• Size of the fish tank

• 2 months

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

In the statement, Citronella leaf extract repels dengue-carrying mosquitoes, what is the independent variable?

• extract of citronella

• duration of the study

• repelling action of the extract

• dengue-carrying mosquitoes