Suzie Q wants to know the effect of different colors of light on the growth of plants. She believes that plants can survive best
in white light. She buys 5 ferns of the same species, which are all approximately the same age and height. She places one in white light, one in blue light, one in green light, one in red light and one in the closet. All of the ferns are planted in Miracle-Grow and given 20 mL of water once a day for 2 weeks. After the two weeks, Suzie observes the plants and makes measurements. What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
The variable which changes on its own is called the independent variable and the variable which changes according to the changes in the independent variable is called the dependent variable.
Here the growth of the plants is observed under light of different colors. So, Suzie is has placed 5 ferns and placed them under different color lights. She also keeps the other factors such as amount of water the plants receive the same. She measures the different color lights have on growth of the plants.
Hence, here the dependent variable is the growth of the plants and the independent variable is the color of the lights.
