3.
2 Designing Controlled
Experiments
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
✔ Explain what a controlled experiment is.
✔ Identify the independent, dependent, and
controlled variables.
✔ Distinguish between experimental and control
groups.
✔ Design a fair scientific experiment.
✔ Evaluate whether an experiment is valid.
What is a Controlled Experiment?
A controlled experiment is a scientific investigation in which
only one variable is deliberately changed while all other
conditions are kept the same.
Purpose:
– Determine cause-and-effect relationships
– Produce reliable results
– Minimize experimental errors
Key Idea
– Change ONE variable.
– Keep EVERYTHING ELSE constant.
Why Important?
They help scientists:
✔ Discover whether one factor actually causes another.
✔ Avoid misleading conclusions.
✔ Increase reliability and validity.
✔ Produce repeatable results.
Example:
– Instead of asking:
"Does fertilizer help plants?“
– Scientists ask:
"Does fertilizer concentration affect tomato plant
height?"
Components of a Controlled
Experiment
Research Experimental Control
Question Group Group
Controlled Data
Hypothesis
Variables Collection
Independent Dependent
Conclusion
Variable Variable
Independent Variable
The factor that is intentionally changed.
Examples:
– Fertilizer concentration
– Light intensity
– Water temperature
Question to ask:
"What am I changing?"
Dependent Variable
The factor that is measured.
Examples:
– Plant height
– Heart rate
– Bacterial growth
Question to ask:
"What am I measuring?"
Controlled Variables
These are factors kept constant.
Examples:
– Same soil
– Same water
– Same plant species
– Same sunlight
– Same pot size
Question:
"What must stay the same?"
Control vs Experimental Group
Experimental Group Control Group
Receives the treatment. Does NOT receive the
treatment.
Example:
Plants given fertilizer. Purpose:
Provides a comparison.
Example Experiment
Research Question: Does fertilizer increase tomato plant
growth?
Independent Variable: Amount of fertilizer
Dependent Variable: Plant height
Controlled Variables:
– Soil
– Water
– Sunlight
– Pot size
– Plant age
Control Group:
– No fertilizer
Experimental Group
– Receives fertilizer
Fair Test
A fair test means:
– Only ONE variable changes.
– Everything else remains constant.
Different fertilizer
Different sunlight Different fertilizer only
Different soil ↓
Different water Good experiment
↓
Bad experiment
Confounding Variables
Variables that accidentally change together with the
independent variable.
Example
– Plants with fertilizer are placed outdoors.
– Plants without fertilizer stay indoors.
Question:
Did fertilizer cause the growth?
OR
Was it the sunlight?
Why Multiple Variables Are a Problem
Changing several variables makes it impossible
to know:
-Which variable caused the results?
Changing:
Fertilizer Impossible to identify the true
cause.
Soil
Water
Temperature
Reliability
Reliable experiments:
✔ Repeated many times
✔ Produce similar results
Increase reliability by:
– More trials
– Larger sample size
– Consistent methods
Validity
A valid experiment measures what it is supposed
to measure.
Threats to validity:
– Confounding variables
– Poor controls
– Small sample size
– Human error
Scenario
A student wants to know if music affects plant growth.
Group A Group B
• Classical • Less
music sunlight
• More
sunlight
Question: What's wrong?
Answer: Sunlight is a confounding variable.
Data Collection
Qualitative Quantitative
Data Data
Leaf Plant
color height
Flower
Mass
shape
Number
of leaves
Design Your Own Experiment
Research Independent Dependent Controlled Control Experimental
Hypothesis
Question Variable Variable Variables Group Group
Common Mistakes
❌ Changing two variables
❌ No control group
❌ Small sample size
❌ Recording only desired results
❌ Drawing conclusions without enough evidence