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 in science: independent and dependent variables.
Independent variable
- The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or varied in an experimental study to explore its effects.
- It is called "independent" because it is not influenced by any other variables in the study.
- It is also known as the manipulated variable.
- Examples of independent variables include the type of light used to grow plants, the amount of fertilizer used, or the temperature of an oven.
Dependent variable
- The dependent variable is the variable that depends on the independent variable.
- It is also known as the responding variable.
- It is the variable that is being measured in an experiment.
- Examples of dependent variables include the growth rate of plants, blood sugar levels, or test scores.
In summary, the independent variable is the cause, while the dependent variable is the effect in a causal research study.
