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: 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 3: 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 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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 9: 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 10: Identify the variable type: Temperature measured during a reaction.
Answer: Dependent variable. Temperature is measured as a response to experimental conditions.
Flashcard 11: Identify the variable type: Amount of sunlight a plant receives in a growth study.
Answer: Independent variable. Sunlight is manipulated by the researcher to test its effect on growth.
Flashcard 12: In a drug trial, which group receives a placebo?
Answer: Control group. The placebo group serves as a control for comparison.
Flashcard 13: In a study on sleep and alertness, what is an independent variable?
Answer: Amount of sleep. Sleep amount is manipulated to observe its effect on alertness.
Flashcard 14: Identify the dependent variable: Water temperature is changed; dissolved oxygen is measured.
Answer: Dissolved oxygen concentration. This is the response being measured.
Flashcard 15: Which variable should be controlled: Testing light intensity on photosynthesis using identical plants?
Answer: Plant species (use the same species for all groups). Different species could respond differently to light intensity.
Flashcard 16: Which variable should be controlled: Enzyme rate vs pH using the same enzyme mass each time?
Answer: Enzyme concentration (or mass). Different amounts would confound the pH effect on rate.
Flashcard 17: Identify the confounder: Coffee intake and test scores correlate, but coffee drinkers sleep less.
Answer: Sleep amount. Sleep affects test performance independently of coffee intake.
Flashcard 18: Identify the independent variable: Different salt concentrations; time to boil is measured.
Answer: Salt concentration. This is the variable being deliberately changed.
Flashcard 19: Identify the dependent variable: Different salt concentrations; time to boil is measured.
Answer: Time to boil. This is the response being measured.
Flashcard 20: Which axis should show time if you measure temperature as time passes?
Answer: The x-axis. Time is the manipulated variable affecting temperature.
Flashcard 21: Which axis should show temperature if you measure temperature as time passes?
Answer: The y-axis. Temperature is the measured response to time.
Flashcard 22: Identify the controlled variable: Comparing reaction rate at 20^ vs 30^ using same volume.
Answer: Solution volume. Volume must stay constant to isolate temperature's effect.
Flashcard 23: Find the independent variable: A spring is loaded with different masses; extension is recorded.
Answer: Mass (or applied force). Mass is what's deliberately varied to test spring response.
Flashcard 24: Find the dependent variable: A spring is loaded with different masses; extension is recorded.
Answer: Spring extension. Extension is the measured response to different masses.
Flashcard 25: Identify the best control: Testing antibacterial soap; what should the comparison group use?
Answer: Non-antibacterial soap (or no soap), otherwise identical procedure. Tests soap effect while controlling for washing action.
Flashcard 26: Identify the variable that must be held constant: Comparing battery brands by flashlight brightness.
Answer: Same flashlight and bulb. Different equipment could affect brightness measurements.
Flashcard 27: Identify the independent variable: A catalyst is present or absent; reaction time is measured.
Answer: Presence of the catalyst. Catalyst presence/absence is the manipulated condition.
Flashcard 28: Identify the dependent variable: A catalyst is present or absent; reaction time is measured.
Answer: Reaction time. Reaction time is measured to assess catalyst effect.
Flashcard 29: Identify the independent variable: Plants get 0, 5, or 10 mL fertilizer; height is measured.
Answer: Fertilizer amount (mL). This is the variable deliberately changed across groups.
Flashcard 30: Identify the dependent variable: Plants get 0, 5, or 10 mL fertilizer; height is measured.
Answer: Plant height. This is what's measured to assess the fertilizer's effect.