In science, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores. There are two types of variables: independent and dependent.
Independent variables are variables that stand alone and are not affected by other variables being measured. They are the variables that are manipulated or changed in an experiment. For example, in an experiment to test the effect of different types of light on tomato growth, the independent variable would be the type of light used.
Dependent variables are variables that depend on other factors and are affected by the independent variable being measured. They are the variables that are being tested or measured in an experiment. For example, in the tomato growth experiment, the dependent variable would be the growth rate of the tomato plants.
In summary, the dependent variable is the variable that is being tested or measured in an experiment and depends on the independent variable being manipulated.