VARIABLES PRACTICE
For the following experiments, tell independent variable, dependent variable, controls, & control group:
1. A farmer uses super seed to feed a group of 25 turkeys and regular seed to feed another group of 25 turkeys. He measures their weight every week for 10 weeks. He feeds both groups the same amount, at the same time each day.
2. Mr. Tolbert uses age wrinkle cream to determine if it reduces the amount of wrinkles on his old decrepit face. He uses the same amount each morning and evening for 3 weeks. He then measured the amount of wrinkles he had and compared it to the amount he had when he started. Another old and decrepit man, Father Time, did the same thing, but with a placebo cream (one that does not have anything in it).
3. 2 classes of students were given the same science test. One was given prior instruction using projects, while the other was given prior instruction using lectures. Achievement on the tests was measured for each class.
4. Stink Away vitamins were given to 10 students and placebo pills were given to 10 other students. The amount of flatulence (gas) from each student was measured.
5. Someone told TJ Barnett that if he hung from a pull-up bar for 30 minutes each day, he would grow taller. He did this for 30 minutes each day for 25 days. His friend Vladik Staples did not. Both heights were measured each day for 25 days to check for differences.
6. 10 students were given diet coke each day for 6 months to see if it affected their weight loss. 10 other students were given regular coke each day for 6 months. Each was given the same amount and were required to eat the exact same amounts of food daily.
7. The zombie apocalypse has started and Ms. J is desperately trying to find a cure! She tries her Granny Fry’s chicken casserole as a treatment on the zombies. She gives the casserole to a group of 30 zombies, 3 times a day for 90 days. Another group of 30 zombies are given nothing. She notes after 90 days that the zombies are calmer and starting to show signs of being human again.
8. Say that you are a doctor and want to test two different types of ADHD medications. List EVERYTHING that you would need to do to set up a study that would be accepted in the scientific community.
9. You want to test your specially formulated chicken feed against the top brand of chicken feed to see which produces the fattest chicken. LIST EVERYTHING you would need to do to set up a study that would be accepted in the scientific community.
10. You do an experiment using 2 gas eliminating drugs and determine that drug A is the best at eliminating gas. You conducted the experiment once, using 30 people in each test group. Is this a good experiment? Why or why not?