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Experimentation

The document discusses the concept of experimentation in science, outlining the roles of independent, dependent, and controlled variables. It explains that independent variables are manipulated to observe their effects, while dependent variables are measured outcomes that change in response. Controlled variables are conditions kept constant to ensure that the experiment accurately tests the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

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2 views

Experimentation

The document discusses the concept of experimentation in science, outlining the roles of independent, dependent, and controlled variables. It explains that independent variables are manipulated to observe their effects, while dependent variables are measured outcomes that change in response. Controlled variables are conditions kept constant to ensure that the experiment accurately tests the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Uploaded by

abdulazeezaderemi66
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Experimentation
Site: KWASU-Virtual Printed by: Abdulazeez ADEREMI
Course: UG2425GNS309 - Issues in Physical and Life Sciences Date: Friday, 7 February 2025, 9:11 PM
Book: Experimentation
Table of contents

1. Experimentation
1.1. An independent variable
1.2. A dependent variable
1.3. Controlled variables
1. Experimentation

Experimentation is the primary way through which science gathers evidence for ideas.

Experimentation involves causing a phenomenon to occur when and where we want it and under the conditions we want. An experiment is a controlled
method of testing an idea or to find patterns. When scientists conduct experiments, they are usually seeking new information or trying to verify
someone else's data.

Experimentation involves changing and looking at many variables. An experiment usually has three kinds of variables: independent, dependent, and
controlled.
:
1.1. An independent variable

This is the variable you manipulate or vary in an experimental study to explore its effects. It’s called “independent” because it’s not influenced by any
other variables in the study. There can only be one independent variable in any experiment.

Independent variables are also called:

Explanatory variables (they explain an event or outcome)


Predictor variables (they can be used to predict the value of a dependent variable).
:
1.2. A dependent variable

A dependent variable is defined as the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation. It’s the outcome you’re interested
in measuring, and it “depends” on your independent variable. The dependent variable is also sometimes called the resultant variable.

In statistics, dependent variables are also called:

Response variables (they respond to a change in another variable)


Outcome variables (they represent the outcome you want to measure)

The dependent variable is what you record after you’ve manipulated the independent variable. You use this measurement data to check whether and to
what extent your independent variable influences the dependent variable by conducting statistical analyses.
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1.3. Controlled variables

These are conditions of the experiment that are kept the same for various trials of the experiment. Control variables are very important because they
allow a scientist to know that the experiment is only testing what they want to test. Control variables are controlled to make sure that the independent
variable is the only factor causing a change in the dependent variable. Thus, we also know the controlled variable as a constant variable or sometimes
as a “control” only. However, the control variable is not part of an experiment, but it is important because it can have an effect on the results. Any given
experiment will have numerous control variables

Consider, for example, that you were trying to determine the best fertilizer for your plants. It would be important for you to grow your plants with
everything else about how they are grown being the same except for the fertilizer you were using.

You would be changing the type of fertilizer you gave the plants, and this would be the independent variable. You might measure the height of the plant
and record their appearance and color. These would constitute dependent variables.

If we were testing how fertilizer affected how well our plants grew; we would want everything else about how the plants are grown to be kept the same.
We would need to use the same type of plant (maybe green beans), give them the same amount of water, plant them in the same location (all outside in
the garden), give them all the same pesticide treatment, etc. These would be controlled variables.
:

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