Variables

What are Variables? Factors that can change in an experiment.

Investigative Question Does increasing the drop height affect the bounce height of a superball?

What is a Manipulated Variable (also called Independent Variable)? In an experiment, only one factor, or variable, should be changed at a time. The one variable that is purposely changed in an experiment. we know beforeA manipulated variable is the variable whose value we know before we start an experiment. –Example: We know what the drop heights are before we start.

What is a Responding Variable (also called the dependent variable)? A factor that may change in response to the manipulated variable. we do not knowThe variable whose value we do not know before we start an experiment. It is the data we collect in an experiment. –Example: We do not know the bounce heights before we start.

What is an Experimental Group? In science, experiments often involve groups of things, rather than individual objects. It’s the group being studied -Example: superballs dropped from different heights.

What is a Control Group? Purpose is to serve as a standard of comparison Used to see if we conducted a fair experiment In the control group, the conditions are the same as the experimental group except for the manipulated variable. –Example: The superballs dropped from the lowest height.

What is a Controlled Variable? A factor that we keep constant, the same between the control and the experimental group There are usually many controlled variables in an experiment. -- Example: the type of floor, the way we drop the superball, the type of measuring device, how we determine the height