Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,

I am doing a project about domino spacing, and I think I'm supposed to have one independent variable. I have two sets of dominoes with different weights that I'm going to use. I will take different trials with different spacings. I think the independent variables are both the spacing and the weight. Am I right, or is it one for each group? How would I show that on my board?

Moderator note: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ino-theory

Hello,

This looks like a fun project! Usually experiments have one independent variable which you will test to answer your hypothesis. In this case the independent variable is the amount of space between the dominos.

Here's a useful page on variables: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... /variables

If you want to test different weights of dominoes this would be a second independent variable. You need to make sure you only change one variable at a time. What you are describing may be two different experiments with two different hypotheses.

Audrey

Hello,

I agree with the expert's excellent suggestion that you probably want to consider two separate experiments with two separate hypotheses.

Look at this project which is referenced in the bibliography of the domino theory project:

https://csef.usc.edu/History/2004/Projects/J0211.pdf

That student describes two experiments, both are looking at the effect of spacing, but the length of the dominoes is different.

Notice the number of trials for each condition (spacing) within each experiment. Depending on when your project is due, you might be able to carefully conduct both experiments, following the applicable procedures described in that project!

Good luck ... and let us know if you have any questions!

Madeline