Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Kinds of Variables
Independent Variable – something
that is changed by the scientist
What is tested
What is manipulated
Changed on purpose to see what may
happen
Kinds of Variables
Dependent Variable – something that
might be affected by the change in
the independent variable
What is observed
What is measured
The data collected during the
investigation
Kinds of Variables
Controlled Variable – a variable that
is not changed
Also called constants
Allow for a “fair test”
The Bread Experiment
Let’s discuss variables, constants and
controls using the bread experiment!
Problem/Question
John watches his
grandmother bake
bread. He asks his
grandmother what
makes the bread rise.
She explains that yeast
releases a gas as it
feeds on sugar.
Problem/Question
The constants in an
experiment are all the
factors that the
experimenter attempts
to keep the same.
Can you think of some
constants for this
experiment?
Constants
They might include:
Other ingredients to the
bread recipe, oven used,
rise time, brand of
ingredients, cooking time,
type of pan used, air
temperature and humidity
where the bread was
rising, oven temperature,
age of the yeast…
Another Example:
Students of different ages
were given the same jigsaw
puzzle to put together.
They were timed to see how
long it took to finish the
puzzle.
Identify the variables in
this investigation.
What was the independent
variable?
Ages of the students
Different ages were tested by
the scientist
What was the dependent variable?
Sizes of nails
These were changed by the
scientist
Dependent variable: