All flashcards
Flashcard 1: In a study of the effect of temperature on solubility, identify the independent variable.
Answer: Temperature. Temperature is the factor being manipulated to test its effect.
Flashcard 2: What is the term for a variable that is not controlled and affects the outcome?
Answer: Confounding variable. Uncontrolled variables can create false conclusions about cause and effect.
Flashcard 3: Identify the variable type: Reaction time in response to a stimulus.
Answer: Dependent variable. Reaction time is measured as a response to the stimulus treatment.
Flashcard 4: Identify the role of controls in an experiment.
Answer: Controls are used to minimize the effects of variables other than the independent variable. They isolate the effect of the independent variable by keeping other factors constant.
Flashcard 5: What is a control group?
Answer: A control group is a group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment. It serves as a baseline for comparison with the experimental group.
Flashcard 6: Identify the variable type: Amount of fertilizer used in a plant growth experiment.
Answer: Independent variable. Fertilizer amount is manipulated to test its effect on plant growth.
Flashcard 7: Which type of variable is manipulated by the researcher?
Answer: Independent variable. Researchers deliberately change this variable to test its effects.
Flashcard 8: What is the main goal of a controlled experiment?
Answer: To test the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable while controlling other variables. Controls ensure that observed effects are due to the independent variable alone.
Flashcard 9: What type of variable is 'type of food' in a study on its effect on energy levels?
Answer: Independent variable. Food type is the factor manipulated to observe its effect on energy.
Flashcard 10: What type of variable is 'amount of caffeine consumed' in a study on alertness?
Answer: Independent variable. Caffeine amount is manipulated to test its effect on alertness.
Flashcard 11: Identify the variable type: Number of errors made on a test after sleep deprivation.
Answer: Dependent variable. Error count is measured as a response to sleep deprivation treatment.
Flashcard 12: In an experiment, why is it crucial to have a well-defined control group?
Answer: To ensure that the results can be attributed to the experimental treatments rather than other factors. A proper control isolates the treatment effect from other influences.
Flashcard 13: What is the main characteristic of a control variable?
Answer: It is kept the same throughout the experiment. Consistency eliminates it as a source of variation in results.
Flashcard 14: Which variable is not affected by other variables in the experiment?
Answer: Independent variable. It's manipulated by the researcher and influences other variables.
Flashcard 15: In an experiment, what type of variable is the environment maintained at a constant temperature?
Answer: Control variable. Constant temperature eliminates environmental variation as a factor.
Flashcard 16: What type of variable is 'age of participants' in a study on exercise?
Answer: Independent variable. Age is a factor that researchers can select or manipulate in their study design.
Flashcard 17: What is the role of randomization in controlling variables?
Answer: To reduce bias by evenly distributing confounding variables across groups. Random assignment prevents systematic differences between groups.
Flashcard 18: Which variable is expected to change when the independent variable is altered?
Answer: Dependent variable. The dependent variable responds to changes in the independent variable.
Flashcard 19: What is the primary purpose of a double-blind experiment?
Answer: To prevent bias by ensuring neither participants nor researchers know who is receiving a treatment. It eliminates expectation effects that could bias results.
Flashcard 20: Which type of variable is measured to assess the effect of the independent variable?
Answer: Dependent variable. This variable responds to changes in the independent variable.
Flashcard 21: What is the purpose of having a control group in an experiment?
Answer: To provide a standard for comparison against the experimental group. It establishes a baseline to determine if the treatment has an effect.
Flashcard 22: In an experiment, what does a constant refer to?
Answer: A constant is a factor that does not change throughout the experiment. Constants ensure that only the independent variable affects the results.
Flashcard 23: Identify one reason why controls are important in experiments.
Answer: They help ensure that the results are due to the independent variable. Controls eliminate alternative explanations for observed changes.
Flashcard 24: What is a variable in a scientific experiment?
Answer: A variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types. It can be qualitative or quantitative and varies between subjects or conditions.
Flashcard 25: How can random assignment help in an experiment?
Answer: It helps distribute confounding variables evenly across groups to minimize bias. Random assignment creates comparable groups and reduces selection bias.
Flashcard 26: What is the effect of a confounding variable on experimental results?
Answer: It may distort the perceived effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. It creates false correlations and misleading conclusions about causation.
Flashcard 27: Why is it important to control variables in an experiment?
Answer: To isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. Control ensures observed changes are due to the intended treatment only.
Flashcard 28: Identify the type of variable: Speed of a car measured after applying different brakes.
Answer: Dependent variable. Speed is measured as a response to the brake type treatment.
Flashcard 29: What is the purpose of using a placebo in experiments?
Answer: To serve as a control treatment to compare against the effects of the drug being tested. Placebos control for psychological effects unrelated to the actual drug.
Flashcard 30: In an experiment, what does the dependent variable depend on?
Answer: The changes made to the independent variable. The dependent variable responds to manipulations of the independent variable.