1. Tennessee SPI Objective: Essential Question(s)
SPI 0807.Inq.1A
Dependent Variables
Date
Notes
Tennessee SPI Objective:
Design a simple experimental procedure with an identified control and appropriate variables. (dependent variable)
Essential Question(s)
What is a dependent variable?
What are examples of dependent variables experiments?
I Can Statement
I can identify dependent variables in simple experiments.

2. (Variables and Controls) Also called "Responding Variable"
SPI 0807.Inq.1
(Variables and Controls)
Notes
Science
What Is A Dependent Variable?
Other factors that change because of the independent variable
These are the things that YOU DO NOT CHANGE…they change on their own while you are making observations
In other words, anything that "changes on its own" while the experimenter is observing it will be a…
Also called "Responding Variable"

3. Example: A scientist is conducting an experiment to test how
sunlight affects plant growth.
She places one corn plant 1 meter away from a sunlamp.
She places one corn plant 2 meters away from a sunlamp.
She places one corn plant 3 meters away from a sunlamp.
The independent variable is the distance from the sunlamp
Corn plant 01
Corn plant 02
Corn plant 03
What is a dependent variable in this example?
HINT: What is a response that will happen without you doing it?
A dependent variable is the plant growth

4. The independent variable is the type of glue
Example: A student conducts an experiment to determine
which type of glue works best for attaching two pieces of regular
writing paper together.
She places 2g of glue on each sheet of paper, and then uses a spring scale
to measure how much force it takes to pull the sheets apart.
She uses 3 types of Elmer’s glue in a series of experiments.
Liquid-washable
Glue Stick-washable
Glue Stick-nonwashable
The independent variable is the type of glue
What is a dependent variable in this example?
HINT: What is a response that will happen without you doing it?
Dependent variable-how much force to pull apart the paper

5. The independent variable is the color of the ink
Example 05: A student conducts an experiment to determine which
ink color in ballpoint pens will last the longest before running out.
She copies text from her science book. She copies the same text over and over.
She writes at the same speed. The room temperature remains the same. She
writes on the same kind of paper each time.
She uses 3 ink colors in 3 ballpoint pens in a series of experiments.
(1) Black ink pen, (2) Blue ink pen, (3) Red ink pen)
The independent variable is the color of the ink
What is a dependent variable in this example?
HINT: What is a result from using the different color inks?
A dependent variable is how long the ink lasts.