Expert: MGR - 11/3/2009

Question
We are doing a project water -vs- orange juice. We are trying to figure out if a plant can survive on orange juice rather than water. I need help on the control and variable. I am also not understanding the independent variable and dependent variable. Can you please help me by explaining it or giving me a example.

Answer
Hi Carliss

You are testing whether or not using orange juice instead of water will affect plant growth.  

This means that your normal group, or control group is the group that gets water.  

A control group is the group that is "normal" - not being tested.  

You're not looking at how the water affects the plant, just at how the orange juice does.  Then, you will compare the two groups.

Your independent variable is the variable YOU change.  In this experiment, YOU are changing what you water the plant with - water or orange juice.

Your dependent variable is the variable that you MEASURE.  You may be measuring plant height, rate of plant growth, leaf size, something else, etc.  If the orange juice does not affect things, growth between the plants will be the same.  

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you need more info.

Best,
MGR