Scientific Variables and Controls

Independent Variable: something that is changed by the scientist

• What is tested
• What is manipulated(changed)
• MIX (Manipulating Independent variable on the X-axis)
• This is the cause
• This is the part of your experiment that you will test (vary) to answer your hypothesis.

Dependent Variable: something that might be affected by the change in the independent variable

• What is observed
• What is measured
• The data collected during the investigation
• DRY (Dependent variable Responding variable on the Y-axis)
• This is the effect
• This is what occurs in response to the changing independent variable

Control: Part of the experiment that is not changed

• Also called constants
• Allows for a "fair test"
• The control should be the part of the experiment where you do not include the Independent Variable.
• Nothing is changed