Independent Variables
What is an independent variable?
WHAT IS: the variable in an experiment that we change/alter to affect the predicted outcome.
What is a dependent variable?
WHAT IS: the variable that we measure, the outcome, the variable that changes in response to the independent variable.
What are control variables?
WHAT IS: variables that must be kept the same between trials of experiments to ensure that the experiment is fair.
What is a hypothesis?
WHAT IS: a researched, educated prediction of what affect the independent variable has on the dependent variable if all other variables are kept constant.
Define observation.
WHAT IS:
The act of attentive watching, perceiving, or noticing, using our 5 senses (sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch).
The data measured, collected, perceived or noticed, especially during an experiment.
Give an example of an independent variable in an experiment on energy in the morning.
WHAT IS: amount of hours slept, mattress comfiness, time asleep, screen time before bed, etc.
Give an example of a dependent variable in an experiment measuring the effect of sunlight on mood of people during winter.
WHAT IS: the mood of the people
List three control variables in an experiment testing the 0-60 speed of a brand new Porsche 911 GT3-RS.
WHAT IS: road conditions, weather conditions, tires, driver, gas level, etc.
Write a hypothesis in the "if, then, because" format for the following scenario: "Increased practice time leads to Silovs having a higher save percentage."
WHAT IS: If Artur Silovs practices 15 hours per week, then his save percentage will increase, because his lateral movements will be more consistent.
Define inference.
WHAT IS: a logical conclusion based on previous experiences, observations, and knowledge.
Why is it important to control the independent variable in an experiment?
WHAT IS: to help you ensure that your results are solely caused by your experimental manipulation.
How do you measure the dependent variable in an experiment?
Why is it necessary to keep control variables constant during an experiment?
WHAT IS: to make a fair experiment, to only be testing the affect of the independent variable on the dependent variable, etc.
Why is it important to write a hypothesis before conducting an experiment?
WHAT IS: because they help frame the design of the experiment and the expected results.
Give an example of an observation and an inference from the same scenario.
WHAT IS: I see a car squished in half on the side of the highway and a semi truck pulled off the road - I can infer that the semi crashed into the car and demolished it.
How does changing the independent variable affect the outcome of an experiment?
WHAT IS: when you change the independent variable, it can lead to different outcomes in the dependent variable.
Why is the dependent variable important in an experiment?
WHAT IS: It's what you're interested in measuring and is the outcome of your experiment.
How can control variables affect the validity of an experiment?
WHAT IS: limiting the influence of confounding and other extraneous variables. This helps you establish a correlational or causal relationship between your variables of interest and helps avoid research bias.
How can a well-written hypothesis guide your experiment?
WHAT IS: because a hypothesis makes a prediction about the behavior of a measurable outcome of an experiment.
Why is it important to distinguish between observations and inferences in science?
WHAT IS: It is important to understand that an observation is something that can be easily seen whereas an inference is a guess or idea that needs to be supported by evidence.
Can you identify the independent variable in this scenario: "If a student studies for 2 hours, then they will score higher on the test"?
WHAT IS: number of hours studied
In the statement "If the temperature increases, then the ice melts faster," what is the dependent variable?
WHAT IS: melting rate of the ice.
If we are testing 0-60 speed on the new Porsche 911 GT3-RS and had five different drivers, why would this break the fairness of the outcome?
WHAT IS: the driver should be the same, different drivers have different skills, etc.
Create a hypothesis for the following situation: "Increasing the amount of hours committed to Rocket League affects prestige level."
WHAT IS: If the hours committed to practicing flip resets in Rocket League is increased, prestige level will increase, because you aren't born with a perfect flip-reset.
How can confusion between observations and inferences affect scientific conclusions?
WHAT IS: observations can be based on bias, whereas inferences must be based on observations AND facts.