Independent vs. Dependent Variables

What is the dependent variable?

The speed of a car and the amount of time it takes to get to your destination.

• The speed of a car

• The amount of time it takes to get to your destination

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Penelope wanted to see if the temperature of the oven made cookies softer or harder. What is the independent variable.

• Hardness of cookie

• Type of oven

• Temperature of oven

A comprehension test was given to students after they had studied textbook material either in silence or with the television turned on. What is the dependent variable?

• silence

• television turned on

• score on test

• textbook material

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

• who sets up the experiment

• height of the ramp

• mass of the ball

• distance traveled by the ball

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Students took a test after they had studied either in silence or with the television turned on. What is the dependent variable?

• subject

• test scores

• silence

• amount of exposure to television

Say you want to know whether caffeine affects your appetite. The presence/absence of a given amount of caffeine would be the __________ variable. How hungry you are would be the __________ variable.

• independent , dependent

• dependent , independent

Sam wanted to know if the color of the chair you sat in when taking a test affected your test grade. What is the dependent variable.

• Color or chair

• Grade on test

• Age of students

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

Sam wanted to know if the color of the chair you sat in when taking a test affected your test grade. What is the independent variable.

• Color or chair

• Grade on test

• Age of students

The independent variable is the "cause" of the situation.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-4