Identifying Variables
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
John wonders if the amount of sugar used in the
recipe will affect the size of the bread loaf?
What is the research question for his problem?
Can you chance the the research into a tittle of
experiment?
Can you identify the variables for this problem?
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is an educated
guess about the relationship
between the independent and
dependent variables.
Note: These variables will be
defined in the next few slides.
Independent Variable
The independent, or manipulated
variable, is a factor that’s
intentionally varied by the
experimenter.
John is going to use 25g., 50g.,
100g., 250g., 500g. of sugar in his
experiment.
Dependent Variable
The dependent, or responding
variable, is the factor that may
change as a result of changes made
in the independent variable.
In this case, it would be the size of
the loaf of bread.
control
John has to keep all other
factors the same so that
any observed changes in
the bread can be
attributed to the
variation in the amount
of sugar.
controls
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?
•The time it to put the puzzle
together
•The time was observed and
measured by the scientist
What was a controlled variable?
•Same puzzle
•All of the participants were tested
with the same puzzle.
•It would not have been a fair test
if some had an easy 30 piece
puzzle and some had a harder 500
piece puzzle.
Yet Another example:
An investigation was done with an
electromagnetic system made from a
battery and wire wrapped around a
nail. Different sizes of nails were
used. The number of paper clips the
electromagnet could pick up was
measured.
What are the variables in this
investigation?
Independent variable:
•Sizes of nails
•These were changed by the
scientist
Dependent variable:
•Number of paper clips picked up
•The number of paper clips
observed and counted (measured)
Controlled variables:
•Battery, wire, type of nail
• None of these items were changed
Guess what?
One more:
The higher the temperature of
water, the faster an egg will boil.
•Independent variable – temperature of
water
•Dependent variable – time to cook an
egg
•Controlled variable – type of egg and
amount of water
Last one:
(I promise)
The temperature of water was
measured at different depths of
a pond.
•Independent variable – depth of the
water
•Dependent variable – temperature
•Controlled variable – thermometer and
pond
Designing Investigations
The greater the amount of soap in a soap and
water mixture, the bigger a soap bubble can
be blown.
• Design an investigation to test this hypothesis.
•Identify the variables
•What exactly will be changed? How will it
be changed?
•What exactly will be measured? How will it
be measured?
Variables
• Independent Variable- soap • Amount of soap in water mixture
• Dependent Variable- size of
bubble blown • Size of the bubble blown with
• Controlled Variable-water and different amounts of soap in the
type of soap water
The farther a ball drops, the higher it will
bounce.
•Design an investigation to test this
hypothesis.
•Identify the variables
•What exactly will be changed? How
will it be changed?
•What exactly will be measured? How
will it be measured?
Variables
• Independent Variable- length of • The length of the fall, different
fall fall for each trial
• Dependent Variable-height of • The height of the bounce from
bounce the different lengths of the fall ~
• Controlled Variable- ball, surface, the higher the height of the fall
size of the ball the higher the bounce
