Independent Variables
Tiffany is testing 3 different types of water to see if her plant will grow taller: distilled water, spring water, and tap water. She uses the same potted soil and same amount of sunlight. After 2 weeks, she measures how tall the plants have grown.
What is the Independent Variable and why?
The Independent Variable is the type of water because Tiffany purposely changed the type of water to see if the plant will grow taller.
Zia tested three different sodas to figure out which one had the most sugar. She picked Sprite, Coke, and Pepsi for her experiment. The dependent variable is ________ and why?
The dependent variable is the amount of sugar. Zia measures the amount of sugar after testing 3 types of soda.
Tiffany is testing 3 different types of water to see if her plant will grow taller: distilled water, spring water, and tap water. She uses the same potted soil and same amount of sunlight. After 2 weeks, she measures how tall the plants have grown.
What are the constant variables in this experiment?
Potted soil
amount of sunlight
Does colored water evaporate faster then clear water?
In the experiment above, which type of variable would the time it takes the water to evaporate be?
The time it takes the water to evaporate would be the dependent variable because it is being measured/ observed and depends on the color of the water.
Which of the following phrases describes a solid?
a. definite shape and definite volume
b. definite volume but no definite shape
c. particles flowing past each other loosely
d. no definite shape or volume
A
Lyra is testing the amount of glue that will make her bridge the strongest. One bridge has no glue, 2 tbsp of glue, one bridge has 4 tbsp of glue, one bridge has 8 tbsp of glue. All the bridges are made out of popsicle sticks. After the glue has dried, she tests how many books the bridge can hold before collapsing.
What is the Independent variable and why?
The independent variable is the amount of glue. Lyra changed the amount of glue she used to build each bridge to see which was the strongest.
During a six week study, one tank of fish is fed once a day, one tank of fish is fed twice a day. The weight of each fish is recorded everyday. Name the the dependent variable.
What is the dependent variable and why?
The weight of the fish. It is being measured after each fish is fed for a specific amount of time.
Lyra is testing the amount of glue that will make her bridge the strongest. One bridge has no glue, 2 tbsp of glue, one bridge has 4 tbsp of glue, one bridge has 8 tbsp of glue. All the bridges are made out of popsicle sticks. After the glue has dried, she tests how many books the bridge can hold before collapsing.
What is the constant variable in this experiment?
Popsicle sticks
Does crushed salt or rock salt dissolve faster in water?
In the experiment above, the time it takes each type of salt to dissolve would be which type of variable?
The time it takes each type of salt to dissolve would be the dependent variable because it is the data being measured and depends on the size of salt.
When you remove heat from a liquid it turns into a solid because
a. The particles get hotter and move closer together.
b. The particles get hotter and move farther away.
c. The particles get colder and move closer together.
d. The particles get colder and move farther away.
C
Jerry hypothesizes that the more salt he adds to water, the more a gummy bear will shrink. He tests 1 tbsp of salt, 2 tbsp of salt, and 3 tbsp of salt. He also tests one jar with no salt in the water. Each cup has exactly 1 cup of water in it. After a day, he measures the height of the gummy bears.
What is the independent Variable and why?
The independent variable is the amount of salt because Jerry purposely changed the amount of salt to measure the height of the gummy bear.
Three different hives of bees were allowed to exit their hive and collect pollen at different times of day. At the end of the month, the amount of honey is measured.
What is the dependent variable and why?
The dependent variable is the amount of pollen measured at the end of the month. It is measured after each hive collects pollen at the end of each month.
Jerry hypothesizes that the more salt he adds to water, the more a gummy bear will shrink. He tests 1 tbsp of salt, 2 tbsp of salt, and 3 tbsp of salt. He also tests one jar with no salt in the water. Each cup has exactly 1 cup of water in it. After a day, he measures the height of the gummy bears.
What are the constants in this experiment?
1 cup of water
Does the height you drop a ball from affect the height it will bounce?
In the experiment above, which variable is the height of the drop and why?
The height of the drop is the independent variable because it will be purposely changed by the experimenter.
1When you add heat to a liquid it turns into a gas because
a. The particles get hotter and move closer together
b. The particles get hotter and move farther away.
c. The particles get colder and move closer together.
d. The particles get colder and move farther away.
B
Jessa is testing different thickness of wire to see if it will make a stronger electromagnet. She wraps a thin wire 15 times around a nail and a thick wire 15 times around a nail. She also tests a nail with no wire. She measures how many paper clips each picks up.
What is the Independent Variable and why?
The independent variable is the thickness of the wire because she uses two type of wires to measure how many each paper clip picks up.
Two groups of students were tested to compare their speed working Math problems. One group used calculators and the other group did not.
What is the dependent variable and why?
The dependent variable is the time it takes to complete math problems because this was measured after the students used or did not use calculators to complete work
In an experiment, the 5th grade scientists see how salt affects the evaporation rate of water. They test the evaporation rate of two cups of water: one with 5 mL dissolved salt and one with no salt. They use the same type of salt and same same type of water.
What are the constant variables and why?
Type of salt and water because it stayed the same throughout the experiment.
A student wanted to see if their score on spelling tests would improve if they spent more minutes studying the spelling words.
In the experiment above the score on the spelling tests is which variable and why?
The spelling test score would be the dependent variable because it will be measured after the IV changes.
When you go from Gas to Liquid to Solid which of the following is true? Explain answer.
A. The molecules gain energy.
B. The molecules lose energy.
C. The molecules move further apart.
D. The molecules move faster.
B. Thermal energy is being removed and the particles are slowing down losing energy
Jason is testing which liquid will destroy metal the fastest. He puts a 3 inch nail in each of 3 jars. He fills one jar with cola, one jar with lemon juice, and one jar with hydrochloric acid. He also leaves a nail in a jar with no liquid. He leaves the nails in overnight. Every day he measures how much time has passed until the nails are corroded.
What is the independent variable and why?
The independent variable is the type of liquid. Jason purposely changes the type of liquid to test which one will destroy metal the fastest.
A model rollercoaster type track was set up. Five marbles of different sizes were rolled down the track, one at a time. The time to reach the end of the track was recorded for each marble.
What is the independent variable and why?
The dependent variable is the time it took to reach the end of the track. The time each marble took to roll down the track was measured.
6. * A science class of all 5th graders performed an experiment to find out the effect of fertilizer type on the height of a plant. The class used the same type of plant nd gave the plants fertilizer at the same time each day.
What are the constant variables and why?
The constant variable is the grade students are in ( 5th grade), The type of plant and time plants were fertilized. It remained the same throughout the experiment.
Does a skateboard travel further on grass, the sidewalk, or on the paved road?
In the experiment above, the type of road is which variable and why?
The type of road is the independent variable because it is being changed by the experimenter.
Describe each phase change.
Freezing= Liquid to Solid
Condensation= Gas to Liquid
Evaporation= Liquid to Gas
Melting= Solid to Liquid