Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

If my project is on investigating if playing video games can help ease a person's tolerance (pain) to freezing, cold water then what is the variable, independent variable and controlled variable? Is the dependent variable the tolerance/pain? Is the independent variable not playing and playing the video game? Since this is changing? Is the controlled variable the water?

Please help. I am confused on this? Thanks!

This website has a great explanation!

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/help/user_g ... iables.asp

Hi Ronmaur,

Janet has given you a good source of information. I can understand your concern, independent and dependent variables can be so confusing.

I think you are doing this really great project from the Science Buddies website:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... #procedure

In this project, the independent variable is the one factor in the experiment, which you, as the scientist, changes. In this experiment, the parameter you are changing is the presence or absence of a distraction (video game). The dependent variable is the parameter you will be measuring, which is the time each volunteer can keep his or her toes in the cold water.

Here is more explanation on variables from the Science Buddies website project guide:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... test.shtml

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... bles.shtml

Please note that the project idea includes suggestions for keeping all other experimental conditions controlled. You want to try, as much as possible, to keep the temperature of the ice water within one degree for each test, for example. You could also control the environmental temperature and make sure there are absolutely no distractions while your subjects are doing the first part of the test. Can you think of any other experimental conditions that you should control?

I hope this helps!


Donna Hardy