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Identifying Variables in Science Experiments

The document outlines a curriculum for MYP1 students focusing on the topic of Atoms, Elements & Compounds, emphasizing the concept of change and its relation to fairness and development. It includes various investigations where students identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables in scientific experiments. Additionally, it provides examples of experiments related to plant growth, physical properties, and chemical reactions, along with a bibliography for further reference.

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mira.guliani
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11 views3 pages

Identifying Variables in Science Experiments

The document outlines a curriculum for MYP1 students focusing on the topic of Atoms, Elements & Compounds, emphasizing the concept of change and its relation to fairness and development. It includes various investigations where students identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables in scientific experiments. Additionally, it provides examples of experiments related to plant growth, physical properties, and chemical reactions, along with a bibliography for further reference.

Uploaded by

mira.guliani
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Academic Year 2024-25


Grade: MYP1

Topic Name: Atoms, Elements & Compounds

Key Concept: Change

Related Concept(s): Function, Form

Global Context: Fairness and development

Students will explore: access to equal opportunity

Statement of Inquiry: Science enables us to change the form of matter into useful
materials that can make the world a better place.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Identifying Variables

For each of the investigations described you need to identify the independent variable
(IV), dependent variable (DV) and the controlled variable (CV).

Remember:

 The independent variable is changed by the investigator, and


 The dependent variable is measured and recorded
 The controlled variable are the things that are kept the same

1. John was investigating how the amount of sunlight affects the size of the leaves
of a tree.

IV: amount of sunlight

DV: size of leaves

CV: type of tree, soil, water, temperature etc.

2. Sasha did a series of investigations to see if the height of a ball's bounce was
dependent on the size of the ball!

IV: size of the ball

DV: height of balls bounce

CV: surface, height from which ball is dropped


3. Elizabeth carried out an investigation to observe the relationship between water
temperature and how quickly it can be frozen.

IV: temperature of the water

DV: time taken to freeze

CV: temperature of freezer, quantity of water, container type

4. Rhys was investigating how far a car continued to travel after braking on
different road surfaces.

IV: type of road surface

DV: distance the car continues to travel after braking

CV: car speed before braking, type of car

5. Mohammed carried out an investigation to find out how far a spring could be
stretched before it wouldn't recoil to its original shape again.

IV: distance upto which the spring is streched

DV: length of the scale after recoil

CV: type of spring, material of spring

6. Zi Xin was carrying out a experiment to see how the number of bulbs in a circuit
affected the brightness

IV: number of bulbs in a circuit

DV: brightness of the bulbs

CV: type of bulbs, length of wire, voltage of the bulb

7. A student wanted to test how the mass of a paper airplane affected the distance
it would fly. Paper clips were added before each test flight. As each paper clip
was added, the plane was tested to determine how far it would fly

IV: mass of airplane, (number of paper clips)

DV: distance the plane flies

CV: size of paper, angle at which the plane is thrown, strength of the throw

8. Tony and Ann were conducting an experiment to see what happens when baking
soda and vinegar are mixed. Look at the picture and identify the independent
variable, dependent variable and controlled variable.
Source: “Identifying Variables Worksheet Worksheet.” Liveworksheets, [Link]/w/en/science/53351. Accessed 3
Aug. 2023.

IV: amount of baking soda

DV: size of balloon

CV: container, quantity of vinegar

10. You water some plants with 4 different types of water (salt water, regular water,
sugar water and distilled water). After a two-week period, the height of the plants is
measured.

IV: type of water

DV: height of plants

CV: soil, light, amount of water, type of plants

11. Green pea plants are given different amounts of water for a three-week period.
First pea plant receives 400 milliliters. Second pea plant receives 200 milliliters. Third
pea plant receives 100 milliliters. Fourth pea plant does not receive any extra water;
the plant only receives natural ways of receiving water. The height of the pea plants
is recorded daily.
IV: amount of water

DV: height of pea plant

CV: sunlight, soil, type of pot

Bibliography:

Name: Class: Date given: Date Due in: Identifying Variables,


[Link]/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Year-7-and-8-Science-Identifying-
[Link]. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.

“Identifying Variables Worksheet Worksheet.” Liveworksheets,


[Link]/w/en/science/53351. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.

Common questions

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The type of water used in plant watering experiments (e.g., salt, regular, sugar, distilled) serves as a model for understanding how water quality affects plant growth, reflecting real-world agricultural challenges. It highlights issues like soil salinization and water scarcity while suggesting opportunities for utilizing alternative irrigation techniques to enhance crop yields globally .

Understanding the form (atomic structure) and function (chemical behaviour) of atoms enables precise manipulation of materials for various applications, which supports equitable development by allowing for the creation of innovative solutions to societal challenges, thus bridging resource gaps and promoting fairness .

Understanding how far a spring can be stretched before losing its elasticity can inform the development of resilient materials in engineering and manufacturing, leading to innovations in products that require flexibility and durability, such as automotive suspension systems and consumer electronics .

Controlled variables, such as type of tree, soil, water, and temperature, must be kept constant to ensure that changes in leaf size are due solely to variations in sunlight. This enhances the validity of the results by isolating the independent variable's influence on the dependent variable .

In scientific investigations, the independent variable (ball size) is deliberately altered to observe its impact on the dependent variable (bounce height). This allows researchers to determine causality and the relationship between variables. In this example, observing changes in bounce height helps establish the effect of ball size .

Neglecting controlled variables, such as bulb type, wire length, and voltage, may introduce confounding factors that obscure the relationship between bulb number and brightness, leading to inaccurate or misleading results about how these conditions affect circuit performance .

The concept of change in the investigation of atoms, elements, and compounds contributes to the Statement of Inquiry by emphasizing that scientific understanding and manipulation of matter can lead to transformative changes in materials, thereby creating beneficial applications that improve global fairness and development .

The statement implies that by harnessing scientific knowledge to alter matter, we can develop sustainable materials that reduce environmental impact, conserve resources, and support long-term ecological balance, aligning with sustainability goals .

Identifying controlled variables like freezer temperature, water quantity, and container type ensures that external factors remain constant, allowing any variations in the freezing time to be attributed specifically to changes in the water's initial temperature. This enhances the integrity of the experimental results .

Altering the mass of a paper airplane with paper clips allows students to explore how mass affects distance flown, illustrating concepts like inertia, lift, and drag within aerodynamics. Educational benefits include hands-on learning of Newton's laws and fostering critical thinking about physical forces .

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