Question

A group of biology students tests the growth of bacteria under different conditions. The students apply the same amount of bacteria to identical Petri dishes enriched with nutrients, then place each plate at a different temperature. The bacteria are allowed to grow for three days, after which the number of bacterial colonies on each plate is counted. What is the dependent variable in this experiment?

Answer 1

Answer:

The dependent variable in this experiment is the number of bacterial colonies.

Explanation:

Independent variables refers to variables that a researcher fix and control, while dependent variables are not controled by researcher and are changing in response to independent variable. The first type of variable is defined by the researcher and the second one needs to be measured.

In this experiment, the amount of bacteria applied and the composition of the media in which bacteria grow is the same. Temperature is a factor that students define and control. Finally, number of bacterial colonies growing in eache Petri dish is the measured variable Students will evaluated the number of bacterial colonies in response to temperature so, the first constitutes the dependent variable, and the second one the independent variable.

Answer 2

Answer: The same amount of bacteria is dependent variable

Two types of variables are used to do an experiment, independent variable and dependent variable. The variable which is used to test the effect on dependent variable is called an independent variable and the variable which is being tested and measured is called a dependent variable. In the given experiment, the same amount of bacteria is dependent variable, which is being tested and measured.  The different temperature is independent variable.