PRACTICE

Identifying Independent Variables (IV) and Dependent Variables (DV)

Click through the slides for examples!

Experiment 1
A researcher is studying the effect of sleep on aggression, thinking that less sleep will lead to more aggression. She has some people sleep 6 hours per night, some people sleep 3 hours per night and some people sleep as much as they want. She then monitors aggressive behavior during basketball games among participants. What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 1 - Answer
IV: Amount of sleep DV: Aggressive behavior

Experiment 2
A student drops tennis balls from 0.5 meters, 1 meter and 2 meters to see how high they will bounce.

What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 2 - Answer
IV: Height of drop DV: How high it bounces

Experiment 3
You want to measure the effect of different amounts of oxygen on the rate of yeast growth.

What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 3 - Answer
IV: Amount of oxygen DV: Rate of growth of the yeast

Experiment 4
An entomologist (bug scientist) wants to determine if temperature changes how fast a cricket chirps.

What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 4 - Answer
IV: Temperature DV: How fast the crickets chirp

Experiment 5
A student became interested in insulation while her parents new house was being built. She decided to determine which insulation transferred the least heat. She filled each of 10 jars half-full with water. She sealed each jar with a plastic lid. Then she wrapped each pair of two jars with a different kind of insulation. She put the jars outside in the direct sunlight. Later, she measured the temperature of the water in each jar.

What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 5 - Answer
IV: Type of insulation DV: Temperature of water

Experiment 6
A student became interested in insulation while her parents new house was being built. She decided to determine which insulation transferred the least heat. She filled each of 10 jars half-full with water. She sealed each jar with a plastic lid. Then she wrapped each pair of two jars with a different kind of insulation. She put the jars outside in the direct sunlight. Later, she measured the temperature of the water in each jar.

What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 6 - Answer
IV: Type of insulation DV: Temperature of water

Experiment 7
Mike wanted to see if the birds around his house liked different types of bird seed. He set up three identical bird feeders each with a different type of seed. He checked the amount of seed that had been eaten each day. What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 7 - Answer
IV: Type of seed DV: Amount of seed eaten

Experiment 8
A student wanted to investigate what conditions would allow mold to appear on bread the fastest. Identical pieces of bread were put into the refrigerator, the freezer, on the counter, sealed in a ziplock bag and outside on the porch. What are the independent and dependent variables?

Experiment 8 - Answer
IV: Conditions or places bread is put into DV: How long it takes for mold to appear