Question

To test the hypothesis that plants grow faster in green light, a student set up 3 of the same type of plants. She placed the first plant under a green light, the second plant under a regular light bulb, and the third plant under a red light.

What is the dependent variable in this experiment?

Answer 1

the different colored light, there is a regular, your independent, then your red and green, which are your dependent variables

Answer 2

Okay, identifying variables isn't really that hard. I'm gonna show you how to remember these things easily. Alright, dependent means that it "depends" on the independent variable. The independent variable is usually the one that is like by itself, it isn't the result of the experiment, per se. The dependent variable changes because of the independent variable.

So, now lets think...Which factor is independent?


Its the different coloured light.

With that in mind, what result does the different coloured light have on the plants?



The growth rate. The growth rate changes because of the different coloured light. However, the different coloured light is being directly manipulated by the person executing the experiment, so it would not be considered as the dependent variable.

So, see how the growth rate relies on the different coloured light? Its the different colours that determine just how fast the plant will grow.

If you're good at math, you might wanna think of this as the x and y axis. X usually stays constant, and determines the y value. :) Hope this helps.