Independent Variables
A scientist proposes to study how the time of day affects your running speed. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
time of day it is run
How does the height you drop a ball from affect the height it will bounce? What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
The height the ball bounces after being dropped
List 3 variables that would have to be kept constant in the following experiment:
How does the brand of laundry detergent affect how well it cleans a stain?
Type of stain on clothes
How old the stain on the clothing is
Type of clothing the stain is on
The temperature of water used in the machine
The washing machine used
The cycle that the clothes are washed on in the machine
The amount of laundry detergent used
Place the laundry detergent is used (put in the water, put directly on the stain, etc.)
How does the color of water affect how quickly it evaporates?
In the experiment above, which type of variable would the time it takes the water to evaporate be?
Dependent variable
A baker studies how the temperature of water affects how quickly an egg cooks. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
The temperature of water
How does the type of shoe (tennis shoe vs. sandals) affect how fast a person can run? What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
the running speed
List 3 variables that would have to be kept constant in the following experiment:
How does the brand of paper towel affect the amount of liquid absorption?
The amount/size of paper towel
The liquid being absorbed
The surface the liquid is on
The way absorption is being measured
The temperature of liquid
The amount of pressure or way the paper towel is being used
How does the type of material affect how well it insulates?
In the experiment above, which type of variable would the size of the container be?
Constant variable
A farmer studies how the use of fertilizer affects how quickly grass grows. What would the independent variable in this experiment be?
the use of fertilizer
How does your shirt color affect your body temperature? The dependent variable in this experiment is…
the body temperature of the person wearing the shirts
List four variables that would have to be kept constant in the following experiment:
How does the brand of soda affect the height of the Mentos reaction?
The type of Mentos being use
The number of Mentos used
The container the soda is in (can or size of bottle)
The age of the soda
The age of the Mentos
The temperature of the soda
The way the reaction is measured
The condition of the soda (not being shaken)
How does the amount of salt added to water affect the rate at which it boils?
In the experiment listed above, the amount of water used would be an example of which type of variable?
Constant variable
How does the amount of water affect the juiciness of citrus fruit? The independent variable in that experiment is…
the amount of water given to the plants
How does the type of surface (grass, the sidewalk, or paved road) affect the distance a skateboard travels?
What's the DV in this experiment?
The distance the skateboard travels
List four variables that would have to be kept constant in the following experiment:
How does the type of shoe (low top vs. high top tennis shoes) affect a person's jump height?
The surface jumping from (carpet, tile, etc.)
The way the jump height is measured
The way the person jumps (standing, taking a step first, take off foot, etc.)
The person jumping
The width of the sole on the shoes
Brand of shoes (Nike, Reebok, Adidas, etc.)
How does the amount of caffeine consumed affect your heart rate?
In the experiment listed above, the amount of caffeine consumed would be which type of variable?
Independent variable
A student wanted to see if their score on spelling tests would improve if they spent more minutes studying the spelling words. What would the independent variable in this experiment be?
the amount of time spent on studying for spelling
Do all clear liquids freeze at the same temperature? What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
The temperature the liquids freeze
List four variables that would have to be kept constant in the following experiment:
How does temperature affect the rate at which mold grows?
The item growing mold on (bread, etc)
The container the item is in (bag, plate, etc)
The age of the item mold is growing on
What the item is exposed to (sunlight, air, etc)
The size of the item growing mold
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?
Dependent variable