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Variables Practice Problems: Independent Variables Dependent Variables Controlled Variables

This document provides examples of independent, dependent, and controlled variables in scientific experiments. It defines independent variables as what the scientist changes, dependent variables as what is measured, and controlled variables as things kept the same between trial groups. The document then provides directions and examples of setting up experiments to identify these variables, including experiments testing how heating water affects sugar dissolution, the effect of fertilizer on plant growth, and the furthest distance for paper airplanes with added paper clips.

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Jan Ephraim Simon Guillermo
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3K views4 pages

Variables Practice Problems: Independent Variables Dependent Variables Controlled Variables

This document provides examples of independent, dependent, and controlled variables in scientific experiments. It defines independent variables as what the scientist changes, dependent variables as what is measured, and controlled variables as things kept the same between trial groups. The document then provides directions and examples of setting up experiments to identify these variables, including experiments testing how heating water affects sugar dissolution, the effect of fertilizer on plant growth, and the furthest distance for paper airplanes with added paper clips.

Uploaded by

Jan Ephraim Simon Guillermo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name: Period: Date

Variables Practice Problems


Independent Variables Dependent Variables Controlled Variables
This is what the scientist This is what the scientist These things scientists KEEP THE
CHANGES in the experiment. MEASURES in the experiment. SAME between each trial group.
They help make sure that any
Example: If they are curious to Example: Based on the previous changes in the dependent
see if more people buy ice cream example, the scientist is variable are because of the
cones on a hot, warm or cold measuring how many people buy changes in the independent
day, the independent variable is ice cream on each day. The variable.
the average daily temperature dependent variable is the number
when the ice cream is sold. of ice cream cones sold on a day. Example: In order to be sure more
ice cream cones are sold because
Awesome experiments have just of a change in temperature,
ONE that is changed. scientists are going to keep the
price; flavor and size of the ice
cream cone the same each day
they measure how many are sold.

Directions: Each of the problems below will have the question the scientist is aiming to answer, a
picture of the set-up and a written explanation of what they will be doing.

For each problem you must list the following:

1. The independent variable

2. The dependent variable

3. The controlled variables (at least 2!)

These problems will be due ________________________________


Name: Period: Date

1. Does heating a cup of water allow it to dissolve more sugar?


SET UP:
Add 1 cup of water to each cup. Add 1
tablespoon of sugar to each cup. Change the
temperature for each cup - one at low, medium
and high heat. Measure how much sugar
dissolves in each.

The independent variable is______________________________________________

The dependent variable is________________________________________________

The variables controlled are_____________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

2. Does fertilizer make a plant grow bigger?


SET UP:
Get 3 plants of the same kind. Add different
amounts of fertilizer to each plant. Give each
plant the same amount of water and sunlight.
Measure how much each plant grows after 7
days.

The independent variable is______________________________________________

The dependent variable is________________________________________________

The variables controlled are_____________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________
Name: Period: Date

3. Which amount of paper clips added to the nose of a paper


airplane causes the paper airplane to travel the furthest?
SET UP:
Create 3 identical paper airplanes - same
paper kind, same size. Add different
amounts of paper clips to the tip of the
airplane. Measure how far it goes.

The independent variable is______________________________________________

The dependent variable is________________________________________________

The variables controlled are_____________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

4. Which liquid keeps a rose alive the longest?


SET UP:
Place 3 roses of the same kind in separate cups.
Add 1 cup of a different liquid to each cup.
Measure how long each rose stays alive using a
timer.

The independent variable is______________________________________________

The dependent variable is________________________________________________

The variables controlled are_____________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________
Name: Period: Date

5. How fast does a candle burn when in different temperature


rooms?
SET UP:
Get 3 candles of the same kind. Place 1 candle in 3
different rooms which are at different temperatures.
Use a timer to see which candle burns the fastest.

The independent variable is______________________________________________

The dependent variable is________________________________________________

The variables controlled are_____________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

6. Which type of paper: copy, notebook, or construction, will fly


furthest when folded into a paper airplane?
SET UP:
Get 3 different kinds of sheets of paper. Make
paper airplanes using each of the paper types.
Throw each airplane from the same starting point.
Measure how far each goes from the start in
centimeters.

The independent variable is______________________________________________

The dependent variable is________________________________________________

The variables controlled are_____________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

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