Teachers Notes - 1

This sequence of slides is designed to introduce, and explain the different kinds of variables, as explained on pages 7 and 360 in New Physics for You, 2006 & 2011 editions.
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Teachers Notes - "

6n order to anticipate any a!+!ard questions fro" students on this topic, it "ay #e helpful to consider the follo!ing points, !hich arose out of a discussion on the 6nstitute of hysics .e!s7roup8 &&6n 5xa"ple 1 (stretching an elastic #and) it sho!s the !eight (independent *aria#le) changing the elastic3s length (dependent *aria#le). -ut you could 9ust as easily say that you !ere changing the length of the elastic (independent) and then "easuring ho! "uch !eight !as needed (dependent). &&The si"plest rule is to e"phasise that the *aria#le that :,; change is the independent (or input) *aria#le. &&<any students !ould find it easier to use the ter"s 2input3 *aria#le and 2outco"e3 *aria#le, as these are "ore descripti*e =#ut the ;> exa" specifications (and exa" papers) do not use these ter"s. &&6n 5xa"ple # (current in a circuit) the *oltage is increased #y adding "ore cells. :ou could say that the nu"#er of cells is the independent *aria#le (assu"es that the cells are identical). This !ould #e an exa"ple of a discrete *aria#le.

$ow %cience works:

&ariables
New Physics for You, pages 7 and 360

Learning Objectives !ou should learn " About the different types of variables, How to identify them when doing your practical work

#ariables
Variables are things that vary and change

#ariables
$n any e%periment there are 3 variables" an a

independent control

&or input' variable

dependent

&or outcome' variable variables

some

(et)s look at each type*

$ndependent &input' variable

+his is the thing that you decide to change ,%ample $nvestigating how a weight affects the length of an elastic band !ou decide the weight to apply, so"

.eight is the independent variable

$ndependent &input' variable

+his is the thing that you decide to change ,%ample / $nvestigating how the rate of cooling of a beaker depends on the initial temperature !ou decide the initial temperature, so"

initial temperature is the independent variable

$ndependent &input' variable

+his is the thing that you decide to change ,%ample 3 $nvestigating how the current through a resistor depends on the voltage across it .hich is the independent variable as you add cells0

+he voltage is the independent variable

1ependent &outcome' variable

+his is the variable that changes as a result $t is the variable that you measure ,%ample $nvestigating how a weight affects the length of an elastic band !ou measure the resulting length of the elastic band, so"

(ength is the dependent variable

1ependent &outcome' variable

+his is the variable that changes as a result $t is the variable that you measure ,%ample / $nvestigating how the rate of cooling of a beaker depends on the initial temperature !ou measure the temperature every minute as it cools, so"

temperature is the dependent variable

1ependent &outcome' variable

+his is the variable that changes as a result $t is the variable that you measure ,%ample 3 $nvestigating how the current through a resistor depends on the voltage across it .hich is the dependent variable here0

+he current is the dependent variable

2ontrol variables
+hese are all the variables that must not change, to make sure it is a fair test ,%ample $nvestigating how a weight affects the length of an elastic band !ou must use the same elastic band all the time, and the same scale etc, so it is a fair test

2ontrol variables
+hese are all the variables that must not change, to make sure it is a fair test ,%ample / $nvestigating how the rate of cooling of a beaker depends on the initial temperature !ou must use the same beaker, with the same amount of water, in the same position in the room, at the same room temperature, so it is a fair test

2ontrol variables
+hese are all the variables that must not change, to make sure it is a fair test ,%ample 3 $nvestigating how the current through a resistor depends on the voltage across it .hich are the control variables here0

3se the same circuit at the same temperature each time

+ables
.hen you draw up a table of your results, the independent variable goes in the first column, like this"

$f you take several readings of the dependent variable, then you can calculate the mean &average' +hen your results will be more reliable

$n 4ummary
+he independent variable is

,%ample -

0 weight
+he dependent variable is

0 length of the elastic

+he control variables are

0 same elastic band, same scale, etc, so it is a fair test

$n 4ummary
+he independent variable is

,%ample /

0 initial temperature
+he dependent variable is

0 temperature as it cools
+he control variables are 0 the same beaker, with the same amount of water, in the same position in the room, at the same room temperature, so it is a fair test

$n 4ummary
+he independent variable is

,%ample 3

0 voltage &p d '

+he dependent variable is

0 current
+he control variables are

0 the same circuit, at the same temperature each time, so it is a fair test

Learning Outcomes !ou should now" 3nderstand the difference between 5 independent, 5 dependent, and 5 control variables 6e able to identify these variables when doing your practical work

7or more details, see" New Physics for You, pages 7, 360

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