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.
An independent variable is the variable that is manipulated, controlled, 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. For example, in an experiment testing how vitamins affect squid lifespan, the independent variable would be the vitamins.
In summary, the independent variable is the variable that is being tested or manipulated in an experiment to see how it affects the dependent variable.