Testable Questions: Identifying Variables

Identify the independent variable: How does the amount of light a plant gets affect how many leaves it grows?

• the amount of light a plant gets
• how many leaves the plant grows
• the type of plant
• the size of the pot

Answer explanation

Grow identical plants in different light levels and count the leaves.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Identify the dependent variable: How does the amount of water in the soil affect how tall seedlings grow?

• how tall the seedlings grow
• how much water the soil has
• the type of seed
• the amount of sunlight

Answer explanation

Water seedlings with different amounts and measure their height over time.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Identify the independent variable: How does temperature affect how fast food scraps decompose?

• the temperature the food scraps are kept in
• how fast the scraps decompose
• the type of food scraps
• the amount of scraps

Answer explanation

Place food scraps in warm, room-temp, and cool spots and observe decomposition.

Identify the dependent variable: How does moisture level affect how quickly moss spreads?

• how much moss spreads on the soil
• how damp the environment is
• the type of moss
• the size of the container

Answer explanation

Keep moss samples in dry, medium, and damp environments and track spread.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Identify the dependent variable: How does ramp height affect how far a cart rolls?

• how far the cart rolls
• the height of the ramp
• the type of cart
• the floor surface

Answer explanation

Test carts on ramps of different heights and measure distance traveled.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Identify the independent variable: How does push strength affect how fast a ball moves?

• how hard the ball is pushed
• how fast the ball moves
• the size of the ball
• the direction the ball rolls

Answer explanation

Push a ball gently, medium, and hard, and compare the speed.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Identify the dependent variable: How does water temperature affect how fast sugar dissolves?

• how fast sugar dissolves
• the temperature of the water
• the amount of sugar
• the size of the cup

Answer explanation

Stir sugar into cold, warm, and hot water and time dissolving rates.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Identify the independent variable: How does paper towel type affect how much water it absorbs?

• the type of paper towel
• how much water the towel absorbs
• the size of the towel piece
• the water temperature

Answer explanation

Test different paper towel brands by measuring how much water each absorbs.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

Identify the dependent variable: How does the amount of sunlight hitting a solar panel affect how bright the light gets?

• how bright the light bulb gets
• the amount of sunlight hitting the solar panel
• the size of the solar panel
• the angle of the panel

Answer explanation

Put a solar panel in low, medium, and bright light and observe bulb brightness.

Identify the independent variable: How does bridge material affect how much weight it can hold?

• the material used for the bridge
• how much weight the bridge can hold
• the length of the bridge
• the number of supports

Answer explanation

Build bridges from different materials and test how much weight they support.