Which term describes the variable that is manipulated in a study?

Which term describes the variable that is manipulated in a study?

• A. Independent variable
• B. Dependent variable
• C. Homeostatic mechanisms
• D. Enzymes

Answer: (A)

The main concept is the variable that researchers actively change to see its effect. This is the independent variable—the factor you deliberately manipulate. In an experiment, you would vary this variable and then observe how it affects another measure, known as the dependent variable. The dependent variable is what you record or measure in response to the changes you make. The other terms don’t fit because homeostatic mechanisms describe the body’s regulation processes, and enzymes are biological catalysts, not variables you typically manipulate to study cause-and-effect relationships. For example, changing the amount of fertilizer in a plant study is the independent variable, and the plant’s growth or height is the dependent variable.

The main concept is the variable that researchers actively change to see its effect. This is the independent variable—the factor you deliberately manipulate. In an experiment, you would vary this variable and then observe how it affects another measure, known as the dependent variable. The dependent variable is what you record or measure in response to the changes you make. The other terms don’t fit because homeostatic mechanisms describe the body’s regulation processes, and enzymes are biological catalysts, not variables you typically manipulate to study cause-and-effect relationships. For example, changing the amount of fertilizer in a plant study is the independent variable, and the plant’s growth or height is the dependent variable.